Posted by
brad on Friday, August 18, 2006 2:49:01 PM
The strongest argument presented in favor of embryonic stem cell research is that the lives of ‘tens of millions’ of Americans may be either saved or greatly improved by the ‘use’ (the word ‘killing’ is never used) of a few microscopic embryos. In this view the lives of these embryos, even if they are human beings, are much less important than the lives of the millions of people who may be saved.
Compare that with the argument against the ‘torture’ of captured terrorists who may have information about other terrorists’ plans to kill thousands of Americans. In this view the dignity or discomfort of these terrorists is much more important than the lives of the thousands of people who may be saved.
Moral relativism?
Oh, no! Say the arguers. We are only secondarily concerned with the terrorists’ dignity or discomfort. We are primarily concerned with what it would do to our own culture.
So torturing is worse than killing?
Oh, you just don’t understand!
You got that right!