> Judy --
>
> I think if you _really_ would like to hear about these things, you
would
> make the request in a less insulting manner.
Ron,
I admit to tetchiness, but I really want to know. Let s/he who never
ever distorts "truth" cast the first stone. You're being sooooo
un-postmodern - of course I have no idea what the people who were at
Princeton *really* intended - who's got the time? - but it provoked some
interesting debate - and so here we are -
> First, I keep hearing about Singer changing his views, but I haven't
> actually seen any references. Do you have one? (I'm not denying that
they
> exist, I just see more chat about it than citation.)
New York Times interview recently.
> Do you really agree with them that there is no significant
> difference between abortion and infanticide?
I can see a brilliant career for you push-polling for the Republicans
:-)
What kind of question is that? And which part of me are you asking?
The rationalist in me agrees with Singer that where self-awareness in
time is not present - a human infant is not higher than a chimp or a
flatfish.
The anthropologist says, yes, but the way we view infants is deeply
imbedded in our systems of meaning making and to act purely on reason
alone is to destroy intricate fabric of society
The agnostic says, maybe everyone really is here for a spiritual
purpose - the sanctity of life argument.
I'm glad you asked, because now I've thought for a moment, I would opt
for what in Jewish Law is known as the "Fence around the Law" argument:
To separate the sacred from the profane, borderline cases must be
treated as though they were sacred, even though we know they are not.
Because otherwise being human, we will become confused and gradually
encroach on the sacred (or Good). Thus, even though as a matter of
reason, an anencephalic baby (is there such a thing) is not really "a
person", we must still act in law as if it were. Because otherwise we'll
soon be throwing away other babies. Hey, I think I've heard this
argument before! But now I've finally got it in terms that I understand.
On the other hand, a parent must still retain the right to choose, and
even to choose wrong sometimes.
So that's what I really think, or a tiny chunk of it.
Judy Singer
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