Every person’s life has value to that person (we can reasonably assume—or he would commit suicide, either actively or passively).
I have long believed that the rational value of a person’s life to other people is the contribution that person makes to the welfare of the others—either directly to friends and family or to society (through paid work) to strangers. I stress paid work, since there is no way to judge whether someone’s unpaid actions is a net contribution or not—at least if someone is willing to pay for something it is a benefit to that person.
Part of the problem you discuss is a confusion between a person’s self-valuation and his value to others.
Sorry for the confusion. A person’s primary value should be himself. His value to others is what he contributes. I don’t expect you to value me, except for what I may contribute, through my work or writing or whatever, to whatever you value.
Same question as I asked scientism on the other thread: if I started torturing a randomly selected 8-year old child, would this bother you? Assume the child has never contributed anything important, and that my torture will stop before it kills him or scars him so badly that he can’t contribute in the future.
Life, as such, is valueless.
Every person’s life has value to that person (we can reasonably assume—or he would commit suicide, either actively or passively).
I have long believed that the rational value of a person’s life to other people is the contribution that person makes to the welfare of the others—either directly to friends and family or to society (through paid work) to strangers. I stress paid work, since there is no way to judge whether someone’s unpaid actions is a net contribution or not—at least if someone is willing to pay for something it is a benefit to that person.
Part of the problem you discuss is a confusion between a person’s self-valuation and his value to others.
I don’t really buy that. As a wise man once said “We were put here to serve others. Why others were put here is beyond me.”
If the only value is to help others, and the others’ only value is to help you, then isn’t the whole system ultimately valueless?
Sorry for the confusion. A person’s primary value should be himself. His value to others is what he contributes. I don’t expect you to value me, except for what I may contribute, through my work or writing or whatever, to whatever you value.
Same question as I asked scientism on the other thread: if I started torturing a randomly selected 8-year old child, would this bother you? Assume the child has never contributed anything important, and that my torture will stop before it kills him or scars him so badly that he can’t contribute in the future.