Capitol Hill Blue Forums Life and Moral Issues Morality & Society I dont owe humanity a damn thing

Hi All,

inspired from somethign said in another thread.

poses an interesting question.

what, if anything do we as individuals owe humanity?

At a bare minimum i would suggest that we owe other humans the right to be treated as humans.

I would also suggest that we as a speices owe it to the species to propogate ourselves, (self replicating DNA (Meaning of life!))

I would also suggest that we owe protection and help to the weaker sections of humanity.

these are matters purely of opinion of course.

so what do you owe humanity?

Schlack, I agree with some of what you said, but I will take issue (no pun intended) with the idea of propagation. Of course, this is of interest to me because I haven't propagated...

Given the ability of the species to propagate at a more-than-sustainable rate, and given a less-than-optimal genetic makeup, I think choosing NOT to propagate can be just as useful.

I think for me, what I owe humanity is easily summed up by an old Asian line: "Do no harm; do only good." That not being possible, I've modified it to "Do as little harm as you can, and do as much good as you can."

nor have I Julia, but some could see it as the primary reason we are on this planet.

and in future, you can intend the pun!! (pun in the oven to keep in line with the "issue")

Exactly! Recently, George Osmond, father to Donny and Marie, passed - he had 95 grandkids!!!!!

And I think while the species was in danger of dying out due to sheer lack of numbers, that was true. But lack of numbers is no longer a problem, and if we're talking about what I owe other members of the species (as opposed to what I guess I'll call a biological imperative to reproduce), then I still think not reproducing is a species-positive non-act. (I'm practicing - I'll be working on a grant later today.)

on the other side Julia, there is talk in Europe at least of declining birth rates, and the fact that we might not have enough people to support the elderly, or maintain economies.

(pinch of salt required when discussing the futre required of course)

I'll take your European birthrates, and raise you the Chinese and Indian birth rates. There are countries/continents/economic or geographical groups, and there are species....species-wide I don't think there's a problem.

I'll get off this kick when somebody else joins in to keep the thread moving!

Oh I agree Julia,

but then that begs the other question - gasp immigration. do we owe it to the less fortunate in the world (by virtue of geography) to the same chances we have in our wealthier nations.

personally im in favour it as much immigration as a country can take - managed of course. i think we do owe it to others due to the fact that our rich western countries have often imperially exploited those poorer countries and kept them from developing on their own

but THIS is a whole other thread.

Yes, that would be another thread - and I think it's completely unrelated. Your original question had to do with the species - human beans. That, to me, implies a) no geographical boundaries, b) no governmental boundaries - humanity as a whole, without ALL the boundaries we've constructed for ourselves.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding what you mean by humanity...

I think they are directly related...

if one feels one owes X to humanity, but yet policies and national borders interfere.

this thread was intended to be more abstract!

apologies for the self thread drifting.