[Vision2020] Compassion for All Life

[Ted Moffett]

All-

Speaking of compassion for all life forms, consider the following:

This man is a scientific genius with a heart!  A
scientist/artist/philosopher/literary writer extraordinaire!

Read this book!

"Biophilia" by E. O. Wilson

http://www.amazon.com/Biophilia-Edward-O-Wilson/dp/0674074424

http://www.wilderdom.com/evolution/BiophiliaHypothesis.html

Ted Moffett

On 1/25/07, Nick Gier <ngier at uidaho.edu> wrote:
>
> Greetings:
>
> If "significant cognitive functioning" (beautiful description of the
> traditional view!) is not the way we sort out persons from non-persons, then
> please join with me in extending unconditional compassion to all the animals
> that are killed every day to feed the several billion carnivorous maws all
> over the world.
>
> This is an unnecessary slaughter because we can grow complete vegetable
> protein at a much lower cost and with much less damage to the environment.
> Just as the earth and its atmosphere cannot bear developing countries owning
> as many cars as we do, neither can the earth bear the increased meat
> consumption that these countries are experiencing.
>
> Both addictions, one to oil and the other to animal flesh, will be the end
> of us.  Millions of acres of the Amazonian rain forest are cut ever year to
> make way for raising beef cattle, pouring tons of CO2 and CH4 (from bovine
> stomachs) into the air.
>
> If the tradition distinction between persons and non-persons is ignored,
> then the only moral option is to recognize that all life has a serious moral
> right to live.
>
> Veggie Burgers Forever!
>
> Nick Gier
>
> Oh professor, how you cling to a specious distinction.  You may view
> "significant cognitive functioning" as helpful in defining personhood so as
> to rationalize killing, but it is still the taking of a human life.  For
> humans who were allowed to grow to adulthood unmolested to decide to kill
> those who have yet to develope fully is the very height of callousness and
> insensetivity.  You can blame tradition all you like but as I pointed out,
> tradition is frequently wrong and in this case you are tragically wrong
> along with it.
>
> What kind of an ethical vacuum do you live in which regards the murder of
> the innocent as a "good tradition?"  If you truly believe this, you are not
> being intellectually honest, but rather morally bankrupt.
>
> Now go grow some compassion.  -T
>  ----- Original Message -----
> From: Nick Gier <ngier at uidaho.edu>
> To: vision2020 at moscow.com
> Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2007 8:59 AM
> Subject: [Vision2020] African Americans and Fetuses
>
> Greetings:
>
> The traditional view of moral and legal persons, coming from our combined
> religious, moral, and legal histories, eventually won out with regard to
> recognizing African Americans as full moral and legal persons.  In my
> article on abortion I've applied the same definition to the early fetus and
> the logic of the definition does not fit.  To force fit a definition is
> simple intellectual dishonesty.
>
> Therefore, there is no moral equivalence between recognizing people of
> color as persons and fetuses before 25 weeks.
>
> Just being a good conservative by preserving good traditions,
>
> Nick Gier
>
> At 07:25 AM 1/25/2007, you wrote:
>
> Yes Nick, and under our laws in 1850, black folks could be held as
> slaves.  The point is professor, that it is high time the rights the rest of
> us enjoy are extended to today's disenfranchised: the unborn.  How
> disappointing to see you on the wrong side of history this time.  Would you
> have rationalized the Dred Scott decision in its day?
>
> Tragic.
>
> -T ----- Original Message ----- From: Nick Gier <ngier at uidaho.edu> To:
> Tony <tonytime at clearwire.net> Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2007 9:31 AM Subject:
> Re: [Vision2020] One More "Killer" Released Because of DNA
> Greetings:
> Under our laws the crime of murder can happen only against moral and legal
> persons.  Our religious, moral, and legal tradition does not recognize first
> and second trimester fetuses as persons.  Once again I provide the link for
> my essay on abortion: www.class.uidaho.edu/ngier/abortion.htm. Fetuses are
> of course biological human beings from conception on, but so are thousands
> of other animal species.  As a vegetarian I'm quite willing to shift to a
> consistent pro-life position, but I believe that most people are not willing
> to do this.  The moral ball is in their court, and it's their serve.
> Veggie Burgers Forever!
> Nick Gier
> At 09:22 AM 1/24/2007, you wrote:
>
> Nick, I was heartened to see you change your mind with regard to abortion.
> You are absolutely correct that the state should not be in the business of
> premeditated murder, especially in the case of those who are innocent in
> EVERY case. It is such a joy to see reason and compassion prevail. Best,
> -T ----- Original Message ----- From: <nickgier at adelphia.net> To: <
> vision2020 at moscow.com> Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2007 8:57 AM Subject:
> [Vision2020] One More "Killer" Released Because of DNA > Greetings: > >
> Fortunately, most DNA exonerations are happening with prisoners who are >
> still alive.  The real injustice, however, is those, now over 100, who >
> were executed before the tests could be done. > > The state should not be in
> the business of premeditated murder, especially > if it cannot be sure of
> that its victims are guilty. > > Nick Gier > > January 24, 2007, NY Times >
> With DNA From Exhumed Body, Man Finally Wins Freedom > By FERNANDA SANTOS >
> > AUBURN, N.Y., Jan. 23 — Roy Brown, who spent 15 yeears in prison on a >
> murder conviction and uncovered evidence while there that linked another >
> man to the crime, was released from prison on Tuesday after DNA tests on >
> the other man’s exhumed body matched saliva on a nightshirt at the crime >
> scene. > > After 15 years behind bars, Mr. Brown stepped out of court into a
> light > snowfall and gently pushed his way through a cluster of relatives
> who vied > for his attention. The reception was fine, he said, but he is too
> sick > with liver disease to stand on his feet for long. > > “Changes have
> got to be made, man,” Mr. Brown said later at a lawyer’s > office across
> the street, answering questions in a monotone as he rested > awkwardly in a
> black swivel chair. “They say the wheels of justice move > slowly, but you
> know what? The wheels of justice are flat.” > > Mr. Brown, 46, is the
> eighth person in New York State exonerated through > DNA evidence in the
> past 13 months, more than in any other state during > the same period. > >
> The DNA tests that freed him confirmed the results of his own jailhouse >
> investigation, in which he discovered documents that incriminated Barry >
> Bench, a volunteer firefighter, in the murder of Sabina Kulakowski, 49, a >
> social worker who had lived with Mr. Bench’s brother until months before >
> her death. Earlier DNA tests conducted by Mr. Brown’s lawyers linked Mr. >
> Bench’s daughter, Katherine Eckstadt, to the genetic code lifted from the
> > saliva on Ms. Kulakowski’s nightshirt. > >
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> ======================================================= List services made
> available by First Step Internet, serving the communities of the Palouse
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> mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com <Vision2020 at moscow.com>=======================================================
>
> "Truth is the summit of being; justice is the application of it to human
> affairs." --Ralph Waldo Emerson
> "Abstract truth has no value unless it incarnates in human beings who
> represent it, by proving their readiness to die for it."  --Mohandas
> Gandhi
> "Modern physics has taught us that the nature of any system cannot be
> discovered by dividing it into its component parts and studying each part by
> itself. . . .We must keep our attention fixed on the whole and on the
> interconnection between the parts. The same is true of our intellectual
> life. It is impossible to make a clear cut between science, religion, and
> art. The whole is never equal simply to the sum of its various parts." --Max
> Planck
>
> Nicholas F. Gier Professor Emeritus, Department of Philosophy, University
> of Idaho 1037 Colt Rd., Moscow, ID 83843
> http://users.adelphia.net/~nickgier/home.htm 208-882-9212/FAX 885-8950 President,
> Idaho Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO
> http://users.adelphia.net/~nickgier/ift.htm
>
>
> "Truth is the summit of being; justice is the application of it to human
> affairs."
> --Ralph Waldo Emerson
>
> "Abstract truth has no value unless it incarnates in human beings who
> represent it, by proving their readiness to die for it."
>  --Mohandas Gandhi
>
> "Modern physics has taught us that the nature of any system cannot be
> discovered by dividing it into its component parts and studying each part by
> itself. . . .We must keep our attention fixed on the whole and on the
> interconnection between the parts. The same is true of our intellectual
> life. It is impossible to make a clear cut between science, religion, and
> art. The whole is never equal simply to the sum of its various parts." --Max
> Planck
>
> Nicholas F. Gier
> Professor Emeritus, Department of Philosophy, University of Idaho
> 1037 Colt Rd., Moscow, ID 83843
> http://users.adelphia.net/~nickgier/home.htm
> 208-882-9212/FAX 885-8950
> President, Idaho Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO
> http://users.adelphia.net/~nickgier/ift.htm
>
> ------------------------------
> =======================================================
>  List services made available by First Step Internet,
>  serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>                http://www.fsr.net
>           mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com <Vision2020 at moscow.com>
> =======================================================
>
> "Truth is the summit of being; justice is the application of it to human
> affairs."
> --Ralph Waldo Emerson
>
> "Abstract truth has no value unless it incarnates in human beings who
> represent it, by proving their readiness to die for it."
>  --Mohandas Gandhi
>
> "Modern physics has taught us that the nature of any system cannot be
> discovered by dividing it into its component parts and studying each part by
> itself. . . .We must keep our attention fixed on the whole and on the
> interconnection between the parts. The same is true of our intellectual
> life. It is impossible to make a clear cut between science, religion, and
> art. The whole is never equal simply to the sum of its various parts." --Max
> Planck
>
> Nicholas F. Gier
> Professor Emeritus, Department of Philosophy, University of Idaho
> 1037 Colt Rd., Moscow, ID 83843
> http://users.adelphia.net/~nickgier/home.htm
> 208-882-9212/FAX 885-8950
> President, Idaho Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO
> http://users.adelphia.net/~nickgier/ift.htm
>
>
> =======================================================
>  List services made available by First Step Internet,
>  serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>               http://www.fsr.net
>          mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
> =======================================================
>
>
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