Quote:
Originally Posted by dereds
I don't think they actions should be evaluated in a vacuum, as someone who is generally sympathetic to consequentialism I'd contend that actions must be evaluated with regard to their results. Reward and punishment in moral terms relies on whatever the determinant moral/legal framework is, that's the system that punishes or rewards us not some natural system.
Explain to me how philosophy of mind teaches us to value the sanctity of life, I'll admit phil of mind isn't something I've spent a lot of time on but I'm not seeing the link.
If through philosophy of mind (and the related science) we adhere to the body of thought that differentiates between conscious and non-conscious species -
then we begin to not only discriminate toward those we deem to be possessing consciousness, but to discriminate so far toward them that every species of life in this category is held to be of almost sacred value.
One systemic result of this is the dedication of enormous resources on political and legislative frameworks that cut people's personal liberties and limit their ability (as much as possible) to do any kind of harm upon one another. By extension, another systemic result is the pursuit of extending life (e.g., old-age) for as long as possible.
Now, both of these outcomes have numerous other determinants as well, but first and foremost comes the belief (often implicit) that consciousness (as defined by us) is valuable in and of itself. Perhaps we're placing too much value on human consciousness and on humans themselves, and perhaps the planet is beginning to signal this misalignment with nature's principles.
With the energy demands increasing, through populations rising and surviving longer, we are struggling to keep pace and we are being pushed to use non-renewable sources. If you consider the planet as a host, much like our human bodies are hosts to various life forms: then just like a human body warms up to beat off a virus or an infection, so too does the planet.
Now most of this is HIGHLY speculative, obviously. But interesting nonetheless. I have a tenuous understanding of the underlying mechanisms of this idea, at best, and that is all I can really describe here for the moment.
Last edited by VeeDDzz`; 06-09-2015 at 08:34 PM.