Michael
I am a disabled person and an activist. I am also interested in philosophy
and believe that the work of Peter Singer (I do not know that of John Harris
or Helga Kuhse) has been much misunderstood. To me he is very clear about
moral thinking on a wide range of issues, including equality. For example,
he has written that the only defensible basis for the principle of equality
is equal consideration of interests, meaning that no-one - including
disabled people - should be given less consideration than anyone else.
He does not shy away from difficult ethical problems, including what we mean
by personhood, and why we think human life should have special value
(speciesism). This is highly controversial. But when you read his work I
think it's obvious that his aim is to raise the status of non-human animals
(that are treated with immense cruelty through our farming practices,
scientific experiments etc.) rather than lower the status of any humans.
I think we need to read him, listen to him, and debate the issues. His book
'Practical Ethics' (2nd edition, 1999) may be a good start. What has the
Disabled People's movement got to lose? I agree that it does us no favours
at all to silence other people just because we may disagree with them.
Helen
----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Peckitt" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, February 14, 2005 2:50 PM
Subject: Medical Ethics Lectures
> To all
>
>
> I a philosopher tutor at the University of Hull. One of my colleagues
> recently told me that he went a Medical Ethics Conference where there was
to
> be a paper on Disability. Before that paper was givenlawyers had to be
> consulted as to whether the paper could actually be spoken. When it was
> given the green light, members of the auidence who had disabilities made
it
> impossible for the speaker to read the paper.
>
> Now I am disabled and I am a philosopher and I would love to debate John
> Harris, Peter Singer or Helga Kuhse in person.
>
> Does the disability movement do itself any justice by saying, on the one
> hand that it should be heard, but that those people over there can't
speak?
>
>
> Michael Peckitt BA MA
> Philosophy Dept
> University of Hull
> Hull
> East Yorkshire
> HU6 7RX
> UK
>
> ________________End of message______________________
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