tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5710845602477644495.post2483972333459624867..comments2023-09-23T05:56:35.265+12:00Comments on MandM: Response to Richard Chappell's "Pro-Life Pro Zombie"MandMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02694636663826784480noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5710845602477644495.post-53720673740377069102009-04-23T13:49:00.001+12:002009-04-23T13:49:00.001+12:00A person who is asleep is not conscious (or does t...A person who is asleep is not conscious (or does that not count), yet they have moral status. A person who is under anaesthetic likewise is not conscious, yet it would be murder to harvest their organs if they were not considered brain-dead. Therefore, I consider the whole zombie-thing to be ridiculous, as moral status should not be conferred upon a person on consciousness alone.<br /><br />I didn't get very far through your post, because I keep getting stuck on this statement.<br /><br /><I>... no pro-lifer actually holds that human beings have moral status merely in terms of their biological kind, independent of psychological traits.</I>Err, I hold this opinion. I became a pro-lifer because of this point, because I could not set an arbitrary line where on one side you could kill a human being, no matter how small, and other other they were supposedly protected. I also saw with absolute clarity that if you don't hold that human-beings have moral status according to their kind, independent of any other factor, then redefinition of moral status can occur, leading to such atrocities as the Holocaust.<br /><br /><br />Recent blog post: <A HREF="http://nzconservative.blogspot.com/2009/04/anti-catholic-fear-mongering-in-nz.html" REL="nofollow">Anti-Catholic Fear Mongering in NZ</A>Lucyna Marianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5710845602477644495.post-18653700235622007262009-04-22T17:11:00.001+12:002009-04-22T17:11:00.001+12:00The zombie argument seems to suggest that a fetus ...The zombie argument seems to suggest that a fetus has similar characteristics to a zombie (ie, not self aware) therefore is effectively a zombie, and it is fine to kill a zombie. The same logic could then be used to kill people in a coma, even if there was a high probability the person would come out of the coma in say, 9 months.<br /><br />In other words, it is in itself a weak argument.<br /><br />Self awareness, or lack thereof has been taken as a justification to kill babies up to a few months old by Peter Singer, of course. It's a great philosophical argument, but morally, just sucks.<br /><br />Recent blog post: <A HREF="http://nzconservative.blogspot.com/2009/04/greenie-sues-her-parents-for-her-life.html" REL="nofollow">Greenie sues her parents for her life</A>ZenTigernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5710845602477644495.post-47571575852809236252009-04-22T13:40:00.001+12:002009-04-22T13:40:00.001+12:00I should add that if you use the feticide or abort...I should add that if you use the feticide or abortion labels in our side bar you will find articles containing chunks of it or where Matt has advanced his arguments and research further.<br /><br />If you wish to use these please, that's fine but do see our copyright policy.<br /><br />Recent blog post: <A HREF="http://www.mandm.org.nz/2009/04/response-to-richard-chappells-pro-life.html" REL="nofollow">Response to Richard Chappell's "Pro-Life Pro Zombie"</A>Madeleinenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5710845602477644495.post-19604489531152250122009-04-22T13:38:00.001+12:002009-04-22T13:38:00.001+12:00Matt wants to tinker with it before publishing it....Matt wants to tinker with it before publishing it. It is available as a thesis copy through the University of Otago library - not sure where you are but your library should be able to work with Otago's - and as soon as Matt gets around to it, Laidlaw College (Auckland) will also have it in their library.<br /><br />Matt does sometimes advance it via email to people doing work in the area, as long as full referencing is given to it, so if you email him and tell him a little about your research he would consider it matt_flannagan at clear dot net dot nz.<br /><br />Recent blog post: <A HREF="http://www.mandm.org.nz/2009/04/response-to-richard-chappells-pro-life.html" REL="nofollow">Response to Richard Chappell's "Pro-Life Pro Zombie"</A>Madeleinenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5710845602477644495.post-70323299072616423852009-04-22T13:11:00.001+12:002009-04-22T13:11:00.001+12:00my own argument in Is Historic Christian Oppositio...<I>my own argument in Is Historic Christian Opposition to Feticide Defensible in the 21st Century?</I>M, is it possible to access this work online? Being a pro-life medical student, I'm interested in as much of such things as I can get.Tucksternoreply@blogger.com