|
| |
How Dangerous Are Household Cleaners?
Did you know that toxic chemicals in household cleaners are three times more likely to cause cancer than air pollution? Did you know that more than 7 million accidental poisonings occur each year, with more than 75% involving children under age 6? Did you ...
Pluto Travels through the Mind
The transformation that is taking place in Americans' attitudes toward mental health is very exciting. Of course, as an astrologer, I see this as the result of Pluto, the planet of transformation, moving slowly through the polar signs of Gemini and ...
The Truth About Low Carb Dieting
Every day you walk down the street it is becoming more and more apparent that the average person is becoming larger and this trend has escalated over recent years. Why are they getting fatter? Here are some reasons...·Less incidental activity·Automated ...
|
|
|
|
|
| |
It is a fundamental principle of most moral theories that all human beings have a right to life. The existence of a right implies obligations or duties of third parties towards the right-holder. One has a right AGAINST other people. The fact that one possesses a certain right - prescribes to others certain obligatory behaviours and proscribes certain acts or omissions. This Janus-like nature of rights and duties as two sides of the same ethical coin - creates great confusion. People often and easily confuse rights and their attendant duties or obligations with the morally decent, or even with the morally permissible. What one MUST do as a result of another's right - should never be confused with one SHOULD or OUGHT to do morally (in the absence of a right).
The right to life has eight distinct strains:
IA. The right to be brought to life
IB. The right to be born
IC. The right to have one's life maintained
ID. The right not to be killed
IE. The right to have one's life saved
IF. The right to save one's life (erroneously limited to the right to self-defence)
IG. The Right to terminate one's life
IH. The right to have one's life terminated
IA. The Right to be Brought to Life
Only living people have rights. There is a debate whether an egg is a living person - but there can be no doubt that it exists. Its rights - whatever they are - derive from the fact that it exists and that it has the potential to develop life. The right to be brought to life (the right to become or to be) pertains to a yet non-alive entity and, therefore, is null and void. Had this right existed, it would have implied an obligation or duty to give life to the unborn and the not yet conceived. No such duty or obligation exist.
IB. The Right to be Born
The right to be born crystallizes at the moment of voluntary and intentional fertilization. If a woman knowingly engages in sexual intercourse for the explicit and express purpose of having a child - then the resulting fertilized egg has a right to mature and be born. Furthermore, the born child has all the rights a child has against his parents: food, shelter, emotional nourishment, education, and so on.
It is debatable whether such rights of the fetus and, later, of the child, exist if the fertilization was either involuntary (rape) or unintentional ("accidental" pregnancies). It would seem that the fetus has a right to be kept alive outside the mother's womb, if possible. But it is not clear whether it has a right to go on using the mother's body, or resources, or to burden her in any way in order to sustain its own life (see IC below).
IC. The Right to have One's Life Maintained
Does one have the right to maintain one's life and prolong them at other people's expense? Does one have the right to use other people's bodies, their property, their time, their resources and to deprive them of pleasure, comfort, material possessions, income, or any other thing?
The answer is
yes and no.
No one has a right to sustain his or her life, maintain, or prolong them at another INDIVIDUAL's expense (no matter how minimal and insignificant the sacrifice required is). Still, if a contract has been signed - implicitly or explicitly - between the parties, then such a right may crystallize in the contract and create corresponding duties and obligations, moral, as well as legal.
Example:
No fetus has a right to sustain its life, maintain, or prolong them at his mother's expense (no matter how minimal and insignificant the sacrifice required of her is). Still, if she signed a contract with the fetus - by knowingly and willingly and intentionally conceiving it - such a right has crystallized and has created corresponding duties and obligations of the mother towards her fetus.
On the other hand, everyone has a right to sustain his or her life, maintain, or prolong them at SOCIETY's expense (no matter how major and significant the resources required are). Still, if a contract has been signed - implicitly or explicitly - between the parties, then the abrogation of such a right may crystallize in the contract and create corresponding duties and obligations, moral, as well as legal.
Example:
Everyone has a right to sustain his or her life, maintain, or prolong them at society's expense. Public hospitals, state pension schemes, and police forces may be required to fulfill society's obligations - but fulfill them it must, no matter how major and significant the resources are. Still, if a person volunteered to join the army and a contract has been signed between the parties, then this right has been thus abrogated and the individual assumed certain duties and obligations, including the duty or obligation to give up his or her life to society.
ID. The Right not to be Killed
Every person has the right not to be killed unjustly. What constitutes "just killing" is a matter for an ethical calculus in the framework of a social contract.
But does A's right not to be killed include the right against third parties that they refrain from enforcing the rights of other people against A? Does A's right not to be killed preclude the righting of wrongs committed by A against others - even if the righting of such wrongs means the killing of A?
Not so. There is a moral obligation to right wrongs (to restore the rights of other people). If A maintains or prolongs his life ONLY by violating the rights of others and these other people object to it - then A must be killed if that is the only way to right the wrong and re-assert their rights.
(continued)
About the Author
Sam Vaknin is the author of Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited and After the Rain - How the West Lost the East. He is a columnist for Central Europe Review, United Press International (UPI) and eBookWeb and the editor of mental health and Central East Europe categories in The Open Directory, Suite101 and searcheurope.com.
Visit Sam's Web site at http://samvak.tripod.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dental
Dental
Exercises To Completely Stop Snoring!
The Stop Snoring Exercise Program Will
Cure Snoring Naturally. No Undertaking Surgery, Have Dental Implant, Or
Medicines.
Unique Cure For Tmj, Bruxing And Tooth Grinding (clenching)!
Foolproof
System To Relaxes Your Face Muscles And Cure Tmj Permanently. As Soon As Today!
No Medicines! No Dental Implant!
Freedom From Dental Disease!
Beat Tooth & Gum Disease Now
Dental Keep Healthy
Teeth For Life While Saving Dental Dollars! With Over Pages This Is No
Skimpy Report, Rather, Must Dental have Information For You And Your Family
Dental Quick &
Easy Changes To Your Routine You Can Make Right Now!
Dental Dental .
Dental And Dentistry Dental . English
Dental Spanish & Spanish Dental English Dental Dictionary Dental And More.
Dental En Espanol E Ingles.
Referral Marketing System How To Guid Dental For Dentists.
Get Quality New
Patients And Successfully Grow The Right Referrals. Start Today, No Dental nonsense
Step By Step Guide Shows You How. Based On Extensive Referral Marketing
Research Dental And Actual Results Derived From Real Dental Practice Referral
Programs.
Ultimate Collection Of Beauty/Skincare Dental s Dental Sites To Promote!
Now
Earn Dental On All Sales! Ageing, Anti Dental Ageing, Aging, Anti Dental Aging, Skincare, Skin
Care, Beauty Secrets, Beauty, Acne Treatment, Acne Cure, Bad Breath, Dental
Care, Oral Care, Halitosis.
Cure For Bruxism Dental Stop Teeth Grinding And Clenching Dental Tmj.
The Perfect
Niche To Make A Ton Of Cash Dental Help Put An End To Night Time Teeth Grinding. High
Converting With Cheap Clicks! Dental Sleep, Insomnia, Relax, Meditation, Yoga, Oral, Habbit
Dental Go To Ezcbcash.com For More Top CB Products!
Tmj Help Program Dental Stop Tmj, Bruxism & Teeth Grinding.
The Tmj Help Program
Is A Great Niche That Converts. Cheap Ppc, High Conversion Rate. The Sale Copy
Has Been Tested And Optimized.
Preventing Crooked Teeth.
Information On What Parents Can Do To Help Their
Children Avoid Crooked Teeth.
Freedom From Dental Disease!
Beat Tooth & Gum Disease Now
Dental Keep Healthy
Teeth For Life While Saving Dental Dollars! With Over Pages This Is No
Skimpy Report, Rather, Must Dental have Information For You And Your Family
Dental Quick &
Easy Changes To Your Routine You Can Make Right Now!
Exercises To Completely Stop Snoring!
The Stop Snoring Exercise Program Will
Cure Snoring Naturally. No Undertaking Surgery, Have Dental Implant, Or
Medicines.
Unique Cure For Tmj, Bruxing And Tooth Grinding (clenching)!
Foolproof
System To Relaxes Your Face Muscles And Cure Tmj Permanently. As Soon As Today!
No Medicines! No Dental Implant!
Freedom From Dental Disease!
Beat Tooth & Gum Disease Now
Dental Keep Healthy
Teeth For Life While Saving Dental Dollars! With Over Pages This Is No
Skimpy Report, Rather, Must Dental have Information For You And Your Family
Dental Quick &
Easy Changes To Your Routine You Can Make Right Now!
Dental Dental .
Dental And Dentistry Dental . English
Dental Spanish & Spanish Dental English Dental Dictionary Dental And More.
Dental En Espanol E Ingles.
Referral Marketing System How To Guid Dental For Dentists.
Get Quality New
Patients And Successfully Grow The Right Referrals. Start Today, No Dental nonsense
Step By Step Guide Shows You How. Based On Extensive Referral Marketing
Research Dental And Actual Results Derived From Real Dental Practice Referral
Programs.
Ultimate Collection Of Beauty/Skincare Dental s Dental Sites To Promote!
Now
Earn Dental On All Sales! Ageing, Anti Dental Ageing, Aging, Anti Dental Aging, Skincare, Skin
Care, Beauty Secrets, Beauty, Acne Treatment, Acne Cure, Bad Breath, Dental
Care, Oral Care, Halitosis.
Cure For Bruxism Dental Stop Teeth Grinding And Clenching Dental Tmj.
The Perfect
Niche To Make A Ton Of Cash Dental Help Put An End To Night Time Teeth Grinding. High
Converting With Cheap Clicks! Dental Sleep, Insomnia, Relax, Meditation, Yoga, Oral, Habbit
Dental Go To Ezcbcash.com For More Top CB Products!
Tmj Help Program Dental Stop Tmj, Bruxism & Teeth Grinding.
The Tmj Help Program
Is A Great Niche That Converts. Cheap Ppc, High Conversion Rate. The Sale Copy
Has Been Tested And Optimized.
Preventing Crooked Teeth.
Information On What Parents Can Do To Help Their
Children Avoid Crooked Teeth.
Freedom From Dental Disease!
Beat Tooth & Gum Disease Now
Dental Keep Healthy
Teeth For Life While Saving Dental Dollars! With Over Pages This Is No
Skimpy Report, Rather, Must Dental have Information For You And Your Family
Dental Quick &
Easy Changes To Your Routine You Can Make Right Now!
Dental
|
|
