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Why does sentience matter? Why do humans deserve a right to a life free of imposed suffering?
by fjsolwmv 9y ago
Why does sentience matter? Why do humans deserve a right to a life free of imposed suffering?
- noobermin 9y agoBecause they are sentient, they deserve a right to a life free of imposed suffering. I can argue for why sentience matters, and see my other reply for that, but if you want to argue a different standard, you're going to have to do that instead of just asking why not. Remember, most philosophies have to start from a set of axioms. I mean, fundamentally, no logical system can be complete anyway (Godel of course, althought philosophy is often leagues of abstraction beyond a set theory). I am comfortable setting the axiom at "sentience matters".
- smallgovt 9y agoI don't see how your other replies address why sentience matters, and I think that's the core of GP's comment. Why is sentience an objective good or something to be valued? Imo, morals and values are always relative and never absolute. As a result, there's no objective answer to where this line in the sand should be drawn. You can say sentience is the measuring stick. I can say that life itself is the measuring stick. Neither position has an objective basis.
- maroonblazer 9y agoIf you were to be thrown into a pot of boiling water and kept there for 10 minutes, would you rather be living and sentient or living and non-sentient? I'm guessing you'd choose the latter as would everyone else which suggests there's an objective basis for sentience.
- mijamo 9y agoWhy would you do that? I have no idea of the experience as a non sentient. Maybe it's the same. Maybe better. Maybe worst.
- maroonblazer 9y agoBy definition it’s “lack of experience”. So definitely, objectively better.