7 ms·

I hear lots of people saying similar things about 'rights' these days. It's like people think that declaring something as a 'right' is all that it takes to ena

by ap22213 11y ago

I hear lots of people saying similar things about 'rights' these days. It's like people think that declaring something as a 'right' is all that it takes to enable free action. If only it was that easy. My experience is different: One has a 'right' to do something as long as the observers (i.e. the authority) agrees that the right exists. In other words: if you want a right, you have to fight for it, first. (Personally, I agree with your sentiment - but I'm a little frustrated with our current generation. Lots of rhetoric, too little action.)

cryoshon 11y ago
You always have free action under all circumstances. You may not have freedom from the consequences of your actions, but usually you will, unless you take a few specific verboten actions. To determine beyond a doubt what you have the right (as the laws are capricious, enforced by hard and jealous men), do something, then observe the consequences. This may seem rudimentary, but it matters, as many new rights are enshrined explicitly or intuitively via actions without precedent. This is how the legal system works also. You can get a tattoo without repercussions from the law; you can amputate your arm without repercussions from the law. In special situations where you are pregnant, the law may cause repercussions to you under certain circumstances. From this, you can assume that you have an unlimited right to self-modification, though you do not have an unlimited right to modify fetuses, which law does not understand as being a part of your self. This right is not explicitly codified anywhere, though we implicitly understand it to be the case, even in extreme cases such as heavily pierced or tattooed people. I am not equating cosmetic actions with genetic modification, but the fundamental right of self modification is the same for both.
- dogma1138 11y ago
  The law also protects you from harming yourself. Wether it be by denying you freedom to do so (e.g. forcibly institutionalize some one for attempting to commit suicide or when they declare their intent to harm them selves) or by suing you for damages you cause to yourself (e.g. If you ram your car into a wall and only hurt yourself you will be tried for that in many countries).

by ap22213 11y ago

cryoshon 11y ago

You always have free action under all circumstances. You may not have freedom from the consequences of your actions, but usually you will, unless you take a few specific verboten actions. To determine beyond a doubt what you have the right (as the laws are capricious, enforced by hard and jealous men), do something, then observe the consequences. This may seem rudimentary, but it matters, as many new rights are enshrined explicitly or intuitively via actions without precedent. This is how the legal system works also. You can get a tattoo without repercussions from the law; you can amputate your arm without repercussions from the law. In special situations where you are pregnant, the law may cause repercussions to you under certain circumstances. From this, you can assume that you have an unlimited right to self-modification, though you do not have an unlimited right to modify fetuses, which law does not understand as being a part of your self. This right is not explicitly codified anywhere, though we implicitly understand it to be the case, even in extreme cases such as heavily pierced or tattooed people. I am not equating cosmetic actions with genetic modification, but the fundamental right of self modification is the same for both.

dogma1138 11y ago
The law also protects you from harming yourself. Wether it be by denying you freedom to do so (e.g. forcibly institutionalize some one for attempting to commit suicide or when they declare their intent to harm them selves) or by suing you for damages you cause to yourself (e.g. If you ram your car into a wall and only hurt yourself you will be tried for that in many countries).