Human life more important than the life of a tree?

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Ichimaru Gin :]

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Human life more important than the life of a tree?
« on: November 01, 2010, 08:57:20 AM »
Is human life more important or valuable than the life of a tree? What about the life of a turtle or deer?
I saw a slight haze in the hotel bathroom this morning after I took a shower, have I discovered a new planet?

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Parsifal

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Re: Human life more important than the life of a tree?
« Reply #1 on: November 01, 2010, 09:03:44 AM »
Life? No, but I assume that's not the question you meant to ask. Sentience and sapience are higher levels of awareness that do have greater value, but don't add anything to the intrinsic value of life.
I'm going to side with the white supremacists.

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Ichimaru Gin :]

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Re: Human life more important than the life of a tree?
« Reply #2 on: November 01, 2010, 09:08:44 AM »
It is the question I meant to ask. Strictly life.
I saw a slight haze in the hotel bathroom this morning after I took a shower, have I discovered a new planet?

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Trekky0623

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Re: Human life more important than the life of a tree?
« Reply #3 on: November 01, 2010, 09:19:47 AM »
Yes, because I am human. Dogs probably think their lives are more important than ours because they're dogs. I value human life because I'm a human and I will kill a dog to save a human if it comes to that.

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ﮎingulaЯiτy

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Re: Human life more important than the life of a tree?
« Reply #4 on: November 01, 2010, 09:20:38 AM »
Is human life more important or valuable than the life of a tree? What about the life of a turtle or deer?
Value is assigned. So intrinsically, I'd have to say no.
If I was asked to imagine a perfect deity, I would never invent one that suffers from a multiple personality disorder. Christians get points for originality there.

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Wendy

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Re: Human life more important than the life of a tree?
« Reply #5 on: November 01, 2010, 10:13:49 AM »
If we want to be objective, life has no value over non-life. However, if you ask me to weigh the life of a tree over the life of a human, I might simply answer with the question, "who's got a match?"
Here's an explanation for ya. Lurk moar. Every single point you brought up has been posted, reposted, debated and debunked. There is a search function on this forum, and it is very easy to use.

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ﮎingulaЯiτy

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Re: Human life more important than the life of a tree?
« Reply #6 on: November 01, 2010, 10:16:44 AM »
This site would be more fun with some more religious fundies.
If I was asked to imagine a perfect deity, I would never invent one that suffers from a multiple personality disorder. Christians get points for originality there.

Re: Human life more important than the life of a tree?
« Reply #7 on: November 01, 2010, 10:19:25 AM »
This site would be more fun with some more religious fundies.

Allow me to gratify you  ;)

I would personally strangle 100 harp seals if it meant I could save the life of a street junkie with AIDS.
There is evidence for a NASA conspiracy. Please search.

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Wendy

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Re: Human life more important than the life of a tree?
« Reply #8 on: November 01, 2010, 10:21:13 AM »
You monster.
Here's an explanation for ya. Lurk moar. Every single point you brought up has been posted, reposted, debated and debunked. There is a search function on this forum, and it is very easy to use.

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Mykael

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Re: Human life more important than the life of a tree?
« Reply #9 on: November 01, 2010, 10:22:57 AM »
This site would be more fun with some more religious fundies.

Allow me to gratify you  ;)

I would personally strangle 100 harp seals if it meant I could save the life of a street junkie with AIDS.

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berny_74

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Re: Human life more important than the life of a tree?
« Reply #10 on: November 01, 2010, 10:24:29 AM »
You monster.

A> Monster for not caring about one hundred harp seals?
B> Or Monster for caring about a street junkie dying of Aids?

If A> what do you consider the life of a street junkie dying of Aids?
100 Cows?
100 Chickens?
100 Rats?
etc...

or
B> Does a street junkie dying of Aids require a thought of care?

Berny
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Wendy

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Re: Human life more important than the life of a tree?
« Reply #11 on: November 01, 2010, 10:31:51 AM »
It's definitely A. In my opinion, there's a clear dividing line between the life of a plant and the life of a person. However, the line gets fuzzier(again, in my opinion) the more developed the life form gets. By developed, I mean able to feel and react to pain, and generally close to sentience. Also, to take the comparison a step further, would you kill a street junkie with AIDS if it meant saving the life of another human? If so, would you do it under any circumstance? There's a BIG difference between killing someone who is threatening a third person's life and cold-bloodedly slaughtering him to indirectly save somebody's life.
Here's an explanation for ya. Lurk moar. Every single point you brought up has been posted, reposted, debated and debunked. There is a search function on this forum, and it is very easy to use.

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Eddy Baby

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Re: Human life more important than the life of a tree?
« Reply #12 on: November 01, 2010, 10:39:52 AM »
By living, you cause untold millions of organisms to die. Go figure.

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Wendy

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Re: Human life more important than the life of a tree?
« Reply #13 on: November 01, 2010, 10:59:15 AM »
It is indeed a paradox. Also, I'm far from a vegetarian.
Here's an explanation for ya. Lurk moar. Every single point you brought up has been posted, reposted, debated and debunked. There is a search function on this forum, and it is very easy to use.

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Lord Wilmore

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Re: Human life more important than the life of a tree?
« Reply #14 on: November 01, 2010, 12:04:18 PM »
Is human life more important or valuable than the life of a tree? What about the life of a turtle or deer?


Do you mean inherently, objectively or subjectively?
"I want truth for truth's sake, not for the applaud or approval of men. I would not reject truth because it is unpopular, nor accept error because it is popular. I should rather be right and stand alone than run with the multitude and be wrong." - C.S. DeFord

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Parsifal

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Re: Human life more important than the life of a tree?
« Reply #15 on: November 01, 2010, 12:23:09 PM »
Allow me to gratify you  ;)

That's what she said.
I'm going to side with the white supremacists.

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Eddy Baby

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Re: Human life more important than the life of a tree?
« Reply #16 on: November 01, 2010, 12:24:38 PM »
Is human life more important or valuable than the life of a tree? What about the life of a turtle or deer?


Do you mean inherently, objectively or subjectively?

I assume he left it purposefully open-ended. Enlighten us, Wilmore!

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Ichimaru Gin :]

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Re: Human life more important than the life of a tree?
« Reply #17 on: November 01, 2010, 07:53:07 PM »
It's definitely A. In my opinion, there's a clear dividing line between the life of a plant and the life of a person. However, the line gets fuzzier(again, in my opinion) the more developed the life form gets. By developed, I mean able to feel and react to pain, and generally close to sentience. Also, to take the comparison a step further, would you kill a street junkie with AIDS if it meant saving the life of another human? If so, would you do it under any circumstance? There's a BIG difference between killing someone who is threatening a third person's life and cold-bloodedly slaughtering him to indirectly save somebody's life.
So why is a person's life more important than a plant's?
I saw a slight haze in the hotel bathroom this morning after I took a shower, have I discovered a new planet?

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Chris Spaghetti

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Re: Human life more important than the life of a tree?
« Reply #18 on: November 02, 2010, 01:51:55 AM »
In terms of raw 'value' a tree is worth more than the life of a human as  it provides moore energy for the food chain, supporting many many other animals, however morally I would say it depends on the level of suffering. If it could be shown that trees suffer as much as humans I'd have to reconsider.

I would quite like to be a vegetarian but I don't think I'd have the willpower but I'm hoping to woo a vegetarian chick so maybe  I'll give it a try!

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ﮎingulaЯiτy

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Re: Human life more important than the life of a tree?
« Reply #19 on: November 02, 2010, 02:24:54 AM »
I once tried to be a vegetarian, but ten minutes later I was eating bacon-wrapped steak with hot dogs dipped in meatsauce.
If I was asked to imagine a perfect deity, I would never invent one that suffers from a multiple personality disorder. Christians get points for originality there.

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Eddy Baby

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Re: Human life more important than the life of a tree?
« Reply #20 on: November 02, 2010, 02:28:46 AM »
I've cut down my meat by about 90% since I've moved to uni. So much cheaper.

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ﮎingulaЯiτy

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Re: Human life more important than the life of a tree?
« Reply #21 on: November 02, 2010, 02:30:07 AM »
I've cut down my meat by about 90% since I've moved to uni. So much cheaper.
How are you not dead yet? I need a meat IV to keep me covered while I sleep.  :-\
If I was asked to imagine a perfect deity, I would never invent one that suffers from a multiple personality disorder. Christians get points for originality there.

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Chris Spaghetti

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Re: Human life more important than the life of a tree?
« Reply #22 on: November 02, 2010, 02:31:53 AM »
Whether or not we enjoy eating meat, is vegetarianism the most moral diet we can develop?

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ﮎingulaЯiτy

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Re: Human life more important than the life of a tree?
« Reply #23 on: November 02, 2010, 02:35:53 AM »
Whether or not we enjoy eating meat, is vegetarianism the most moral diet we can develop?
I would imagine. I can see no immoral implications of vegetarianism.
If I was asked to imagine a perfect deity, I would never invent one that suffers from a multiple personality disorder. Christians get points for originality there.

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Vindictus

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Re: Human life more important than the life of a tree?
« Reply #24 on: November 02, 2010, 03:20:41 AM »
I once tried to be a vegetarian, but ten minutes later I was eating bacon-wrapped steak with hot dogs dipped in meatsauce.

A friend once told  me they were a vegetarian, but only between meals.

Whether or not we enjoy eating meat, is vegetarianism the most moral diet we can develop?

Isn't a vegan diet technically more moral? It's subjective, really.

In terms of objectivity, I'm pretty sure a vegetarian diet is healthier than a normal meat diet, if it is done properly.

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Parsifal

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Re: Human life more important than the life of a tree?
« Reply #25 on: November 02, 2010, 04:16:57 AM »
Whether or not we enjoy eating meat, is vegetarianism the most moral diet we can develop?

Ultimately, the energy comes from the Sun. Plants just provide the service of converting it into a usable form, while animals provide the service of collecting large quantities of it into a small volume.

So, the most "moral" way we can live, as best I can understand your question -- without using the existence of any other organisms for our own gain -- is to sprout leaves on our heads and begin photosynthesising.
I'm going to side with the white supremacists.

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Chris Spaghetti

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Re: Human life more important than the life of a tree?
« Reply #26 on: November 02, 2010, 04:56:27 AM »
Certainly, living without killing anything not directly threatening us (microbes, you're still on the hit-list)is the ideal moral way to live but owing to the current lack of pikmin-like leaves vegetarianism should be the most moral diet.

(not that I follow it.)

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Lord Wilmore

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Re: Human life more important than the life of a tree?
« Reply #27 on: November 02, 2010, 06:14:04 AM »
You guys seem to be forgetting that even in those terms humans possess the ability to improve life on Earth in ways that trees never could. That we generally don't is not to say we therefore have less value.


Is human life more important or valuable than the life of a tree? What about the life of a turtle or deer?


Do you mean inherently, objectively or subjectively?

I assume he left it purposefully open-ended. Enlighten us, Wilmore!


lol, I might blurb some random thoughts later tonight.
"I want truth for truth's sake, not for the applaud or approval of men. I would not reject truth because it is unpopular, nor accept error because it is popular. I should rather be right and stand alone than run with the multitude and be wrong." - C.S. DeFord

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Thork

Re: Human life more important than the life of a tree?
« Reply #28 on: November 02, 2010, 06:17:04 AM »
So why is a person's life more important than a plant's?
Asks the man who tortures plants with moonlight exposure.

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Parsifal

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Re: Human life more important than the life of a tree?
« Reply #29 on: November 02, 2010, 06:30:16 AM »
You guys seem to be forgetting that even in those terms humans possess the ability to improve life on Earth in ways that trees never could. That we generally don't is not to say we therefore have less value.

This is exactly why I responded the way I did in my first post. Our lives have no more value; our sapience does. If you remove that sapience -- for example, consider a brain-dead person -- then there is no difference.
I'm going to side with the white supremacists.