Sometimes I ponder this question and am left lapping at the dried remains of the tautology that life has whatever value we give it, or that the meaning of life is to live. Is there something more that attributes worth to each individual human life? Or is it all floating debris and lies?
If I were religious, I might say that God gives life value. We are each God's creation and therefore that makes life a sacred gift. However, God doesn't exist, or at least doesn't care to show any evidence that he does, and if he exists, he shows a remarkable disdain for human life. If we equate fate and natural occurrences with God, then humans are often the victims of God's jealousy, wrath, and vindictiveness. So God can't be the answer.
Do our attachments to others give life value? Perhaps my friends and loved ones are what make my life important. Maybe my influence on them, especially younger generations of my family, is what matters most. If my life were to end, it would not be without consequence, as those who are attached to me would suffer emotional trauma and ask, "Why?" However, this is assuming I'm a positive influence on others in the first place. I seek no relationships because I have no wish to drag others into my life. The loss of one person can't affect all that many; tragedies and death occur all the time, and yet people move on with their lives. Also, many despicable people throughout history, such as criminals and evil dictators, had friends and loved ones. So attachments can't be the answer.
Does the role humans play in nature give human life value? Humans are a unique species to say the least, with the most complex tools and languages. We have built great civilizations, invented amazing things, created works of art, music, and poetry, and discovered more about the universe than any other species on Earth. We are highly intelligent, widespread, and adaptable. However, we've also wreaked immense damage on the environment, driven species to extinction, and have polluted the Earth to the point where it may take generations to clean up the mess we've made. So it's hard to say that humans are the pinnacle of life on Earth. We might just be another evolutionary blip or failed experiment.
I ask, where does that leave me?
Please understand that I'm searching for an answer for my own sake. I don't wish to imply that other people's lives are somehow worth less just because I'm too stubborn or shortsighted to see things as they do. I'm asking in all sincerity.
If I were religious, I might say that God gives life value. We are each God's creation and therefore that makes life a sacred gift. However, God doesn't exist, or at least doesn't care to show any evidence that he does, and if he exists, he shows a remarkable disdain for human life. If we equate fate and natural occurrences with God, then humans are often the victims of God's jealousy, wrath, and vindictiveness. So God can't be the answer.
Do our attachments to others give life value? Perhaps my friends and loved ones are what make my life important. Maybe my influence on them, especially younger generations of my family, is what matters most. If my life were to end, it would not be without consequence, as those who are attached to me would suffer emotional trauma and ask, "Why?" However, this is assuming I'm a positive influence on others in the first place. I seek no relationships because I have no wish to drag others into my life. The loss of one person can't affect all that many; tragedies and death occur all the time, and yet people move on with their lives. Also, many despicable people throughout history, such as criminals and evil dictators, had friends and loved ones. So attachments can't be the answer.
Does the role humans play in nature give human life value? Humans are a unique species to say the least, with the most complex tools and languages. We have built great civilizations, invented amazing things, created works of art, music, and poetry, and discovered more about the universe than any other species on Earth. We are highly intelligent, widespread, and adaptable. However, we've also wreaked immense damage on the environment, driven species to extinction, and have polluted the Earth to the point where it may take generations to clean up the mess we've made. So it's hard to say that humans are the pinnacle of life on Earth. We might just be another evolutionary blip or failed experiment.
I ask, where does that leave me?
Please understand that I'm searching for an answer for my own sake. I don't wish to imply that other people's lives are somehow worth less just because I'm too stubborn or shortsighted to see things as they do. I'm asking in all sincerity.
via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=268993&goto=newpost
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