Georgia59
Supporter
Joined: 11 Apr 2007
Posts: 5542
Location: Along the Mississippi, USA
Thanks: 89
Thanked:31
|
Thought Experiment #1
Posted: 11-29-07 22:22pm
|
|
|
|
So here's a situation... I didn't think of
it, read it in some ethics article... you
might have heard it before...
Let's pretend (and you have to go with me
here, I know it's not actually possible
but just pretend) that in the year 2047,
someone creates a very special medicine.
It only works in cats. If you inject it
into a cat, the cat will miraculously turn
into a human baby, as if it was just born.
This baby will be perfectly healthy. And
any cat can receive this injection and
turn into a baby.
So, since every cat is now a potential
baby, do we have to protect cats and fight
for their lives and safekeeping?
I'd like to know your thoughts.
Please go along with the idea here, don't
debate if it's useful or not. And if you
think it's a horrible scenario, it would
be beneficial if you explain why it is not
a good metaphor for abortion.
I have more where this came from.... (rubs
hands evilly) 
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Verizon-y
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 29 Aug 2007
Posts: 3291
Thanks: 1
Thanked:0
|
Posted: 11-29-07 22:24pm
|
|
|
|
|
I would make it illegal to put cats to
sleep. They are embryos!!!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jules
Moderator
Joined: 19 Aug 2006
Posts: 3752
Location: Merrie Englande, UK
Thanks: 75
Thanked:65
|
Re: Thought Experiment #1
Posted: 11-30-07 03:49am
|
|
|
|
|
| Georgia59
wrote: | | protect cats and fight for
their lives and
safekeeping? |
I think we should do this anyway!
Seriously though, the cat is still a cat
until it has the injection so I would say
that it should have the right to a
peaceful, cruelty-free life as all animals
should.
I think it depends on at what point you
regard something as having the 'potential'
to be a human being and at what point it
is
a human being. The cat is a potential
human being and so is a sperm and an egg.
Personally, I don't think the potential
means anything - I don't mourn the loss of
an egg and I wouldn't mourn the poor cat
not being turned into a human baby.
However, to me, an embryo is a human being
(albeit a very immature one) so it is not
just a 'potential'.
However, despite my belief that an embryo
is a human being, I am aware that it is
different to a born human
being and I place higher value on the born
person than the embryo. Just like I place
higher value on the life of a baby over
that of a dog. I actually believe that
all
living things have an equal right to life
but as a human being that is just
impossible to enforce. I am being selfish
in my very act of living and since I don't
want to kill myself, I have to accept that
the natural order of life is fundamentally
unfair.
Hope that made sense. It was a bit of a
stream of consciousness!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sandbox Party
Especially EHEALTHy
Joined: 25 Jul 2006
Posts: 7276
|
Posted: 11-30-07 04:32am
|
|
|
|
|
so.. why a cat? Ofcourse because of the
type of animal it is and how widely
accepted they are, one will be like, *yes,
lets!* but if say, it were replaced with a
sewer rat or skunk, would we feel the same
way?
animals should be protected anyway.. they
are, after all, living beings and deserve
respect.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Verizon-y
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 29 Aug 2007
Posts: 3291
Thanks: 1
Thanked:0
|
Re: Thought Experiment #1
Posted: 11-30-07 08:38am
|
|
|
|
|
| Jules
wrote: | | Georgia59
wrote: | | protect cats and fight for
their lives and
safekeeping? |
I think we should do this anyway!
Seriously though, the cat is still a cat
until it has the injection so I would say
that it should have the right to a
peaceful, cruelty-free life as all animals
should.
I think it depends on at what point you
regard something as having the 'potential'
to be a human being and at what point it
is
a human being. The cat is a potential
human being and so is a sperm and an egg.
Personally, I don't think the potential
means anything - I don't mourn the loss of
an egg and I wouldn't mourn the poor cat
not being turned into a human baby.
However, to me, an embryo is a human being
(albeit a very immature one) so it is not
just a 'potential'.
However, despite my belief that an embryo
is a human being, I am aware that it is
different to a born human
being and I place higher value on the born
person than the embryo. Just like I place
higher value on the life of a baby over
that of a dog. I actually believe that
all
living things have an equal right to life
but as a human being that is just
impossible to enforce. I am being selfish
in my very act of living and since I don't
want to kill myself, I have to accept that
the natural order of life is fundamentally
unfair.
Hope that made sense. It was a bit of a
stream of consciousness! |
It makes sense to me except for this
part:
Personally, I don't think the
potential means anything - I don't mourn
the loss of an egg and I wouldn't mourn
the poor cat not being turned into a human
baby. However, to me, an embryo is a
human being (albeit a very immature one)
so it is not just a 'potential'.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Emma2
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 09 May 2006
Posts: 4406
Location: Montreal, Canada
Thanks: 1
Thanked:0
|
Posted: 11-30-07 10:50am
|
|
|
|
|
No, unless the human race is unable to
reproduce on their own anymore. Other
than that they should be treated as cats .
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Verizon-y
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 29 Aug 2007
Posts: 3291
Thanks: 1
Thanked:0
|
Posted: 11-30-07 13:16pm
|
|
|
|
|
And cells should be treated as cells.
|
|
|
|
|
|
meblonde01
Supporter
Joined: 11 Apr 2007
Posts: 2123
Location: ,
Thanks: 6
Thanked:2
|
Posted: 11-30-07 13:24pm
|
|
|
|
|
when are cells not treated as cells???????
|
|
|
|
|
|
Emma2
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 09 May 2006
Posts: 4406
Location: Montreal, Canada
Thanks: 1
Thanked:0
|
Posted: 11-30-07 13:35pm
|
|
|
|
|
LOL, I never met a cell that I treated any
differently or more than what they are.
However, i'll keep you in mind next
encounter!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Georgia59
Supporter
Joined: 11 Apr 2007
Posts: 5542
Location: Along the Mississippi, USA
Thanks: 89
Thanked:31
|
Posted: 11-30-07 13:38pm
|
|
|
|
|
Hmm.. so what if we change it to a sewer
rat?
Would killing sewer rats become illegal?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Emma2
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 09 May 2006
Posts: 4406
Location: Montreal, Canada
Thanks: 1
Thanked:0
|
Posted: 11-30-07 13:40pm
|
|
|
|
|
No, cause god knows they multiply at a
ridiculous rate so we are sure to never
run out of rats!
Forget changing the specie of animal the
point has been made.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jules
Moderator
Joined: 19 Aug 2006
Posts: 3752
Location: Merrie Englande, UK
Thanks: 75
Thanked:65
|
Posted: 11-30-07 14:03pm
|
|
|
|
|
More questions! More questions! I love
these things!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Birch
Supporter
Joined: 07 Nov 2005
Posts: 3961
Location: Bliss,
Thanks: 126
Thanked:12
|
Posted: 11-30-07 14:32pm
|
|
|
|
|
| meblonde01
wrote: | | when are cells not treated
as
cells??????? |
When they are stem cells.
|
|
|
|
|
|
meblonde01
Supporter
Joined: 11 Apr 2007
Posts: 2123
Location: ,
Thanks: 6
Thanked:2
|
Posted: 11-30-07 14:35pm
|
|
|
|
|
| Birch
wrote: | | meblonde01
wrote: | | when are cells not treated
as
cells??????? |
When they are stem
cells. |
awwwww IC
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cambion
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 08 Nov 2005
Posts: 748
Thanks: 3
Thanked:0
|
Posted: 11-30-07 15:15pm
|
|
|
|
|
Why would you want to turn a beautiful
kitty into a fugly baby? I couldn't fathom
doing that to an innocent cat 
It'd be nice if killing cats for any
reason beyond euthanasia was made illegal,
as well as for other domestic animals (I
understand people kill wild animals for
sport/food, but that's a whole other
ethics issue).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Verizon-y
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 29 Aug 2007
Posts: 3291
Thanks: 1
Thanked:0
|
Posted: 11-30-07 20:12pm
|
|
|
|
|
| Birch
wrote: | | meblonde01
wrote: | | when are cells not treated
as
cells??????? |
When they are stem
cells. |
Or when they are zygotes. A zygote is a
single cell.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Verizon-y
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 29 Aug 2007
Posts: 3291
Thanks: 1
Thanked:0
|
Posted: 11-30-07 20:12pm
|
|
|
|
|
| Cambion
wrote: | Why would you want to turn a
beautiful kitty into a fugly baby? I
couldn't fathom doing that to an innocent
cat
It'd be nice if killing cats for any
reason beyond euthanasia was made illegal,
as well as for other domestic animals (I
understand people kill wild animals for
sport/food, but that's a whole other
ethics
issue). |
rofl!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
oopoopoop
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 18 Mar 2004
Posts: 1251
Location: ,
Thanks: 43
Thanked:2
|
Posted: 12-02-07 07:31am
|
|
|
|
|
Brainwash please! I will never be able to
look at my sweet, fluffy kitties in the
same way again. I keep picturing a
horrible, naked drooling slug that doesn't
even know how to use the litter box.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tylanas
Especially EHEALTHy
Joined: 13 Jul 2005
Posts: 12985
Thanks: 3
Thanked:0
|
Re: Thought Experiment #1
Posted: 12-02-07 13:19pm
|
|
|
|
|
| futureshock
wrote: |
It makes sense to me except for this
part:
Personally, I don't think the
potential means anything - I don't mourn
the loss of an egg and I wouldn't mourn
the poor cat not being turned into a human
baby. However, to me, an embryo is a
human being (albeit a very immature one)
so it is not just a
'potential'. |
I think you're confused about this part,
right?
"However, to me, an embryo is a human
being (albeit a very immature one) so it
is not just a 'potential'."
I personally agree. A zef is not a
potential human; it IS human. Again, it's
not a fish embryo or a cat embryo, it is a
human embryo.
However, IMO, it IS still only a potential
PERSON.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SmartyShirt
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 04 Dec 2007
Posts: 140
Location: ,
|
Posted: 12-04-07 21:22pm
|
|
|
|
|
no because i cat wouldnt become a human
becuz its meant to be a cat because when u
think about it if u didnt midically affect
it it would be a cat but if u dont
mediclay affect a baby then tis born
|
|
|
|
|
