The Nature and Value of Human Life

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Genesis 1:26-28

Nature

  • Imago Dei = Image of God. We develop into his likeness (Iraneus)
  • We have human dignity and we are set apart.
  • We have dominion over animals on the earth
  • Our nature is to reproduce - 'Be fruitful and multiply'.

Value

  • Worth more than animals because we are made in the image of God
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Genesis 2

Nature

  • Created by God, we were meant to be perfect but we are not completely perfect

Value

  • We must be valuable because God is caring for us
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Genesis 3

Nature

  • Work for what we want eg. food
  • Women now suffer in childbirth
  • 'To dust you shall return'.
  • We are punished
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Genesis 22

Nature

  • Story of Abraham and Isaac = we fear God
  • Faith in God

Value

  • He values them if they have faith and believe in him
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Humanism

Nature

  • Our personality is a function of biological organism transacting in a social and cultural context.
  • Ethical decisions are based on reason, empathy and concern.
  • All knowledge comes from the senses.

Value

  • Don't believe in a spiritual world
  • Don't believe in evidence that life survive the death
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Jeremy Bentham

Nature

  • We naturally base morality on the principle of utility = The greatest good for the greatesr number
  • Idea of relation is a fictitious entity by its necessary for convenience
  • Natural Rights are nonsense

Value

  • 'Self regarding interest is predominant over social interest'.
  • Individual should be given equal consideration
  • 'Every individual in the country counts for one, no more'.
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John Stuart Mill

Nature

  • Rejects Bentham's view of humans being driven by self interest
  • Desire for perfection and sympathy
  • People themselves are capable of improvements

Value

  • We have a desire of perfection. Sympathy towards other humans = we value other humans.
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Dawkins

Nature

  • Our aim is to reproduce and we are merely carriers of DNA
  • We have no soul
  • We should only believe in empirical things

Value

  • We are valuable for passing on successful genes and ensuring the continuation of humanity
  • No bigger purpose in life
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Skinner

Nature

  • Humans are evolved animals and we aren't free = conditioned by external environment
  • No interstate like soul or mind, but series of causes and effects governed by environment.

Value

  • Because we are just causes and effects we are de-valued.
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Singer

Nature

  • Pain we feel is equal
  • Capacity to experience and feel pain
  • Capable of anticipating future and having wants and desires

Value

  • Humans and animals are equal although humans have more to lose than animals
  • We are more valuable as there would be greater sense of grief and distress at death
  • Value depends on quality
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