tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1948952231230143709.post3332311334305175485..comments2023-10-31T06:24:52.424-07:00Comments on New Leaves: "It's What Makes Us Human"Mike Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11349289865571299017noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1948952231230143709.post-10633490358734115812007-09-05T23:07:00.000-07:002007-09-05T23:07:00.000-07:00Belief in the awesomeness of kiwi is, indeed, enti...Belief in the awesomeness of kiwi is, indeed, entirely reasonable.The Scarlet Pervygirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09543732518350148151noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1948952231230143709.post-58884025868112676362007-09-04T11:18:00.000-07:002007-09-04T11:18:00.000-07:00I didn't mean to pick out any particular trait as ...I didn't mean to pick out any particular trait as distinctively human. I assumed that certain traits are distinctively human. I wanted to address the claim that these traits gain value by virtue of their distinctiveness.<BR/><BR/>Yes, I agree that there is intrinsic value in being a person. I would emphasise the <I>intrinsic</I> part, to separate this claim from the claim that personhood is valuable simply because it is a point of difference.Mike Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11349289865571299017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1948952231230143709.post-27845621296738886202007-09-01T17:59:00.000-07:002007-09-01T17:59:00.000-07:00I take you to have defended personal pride in bein...I take you to have defended personal pride in being distinctively human. But does that extend to criticizing others who focus elsewhere for their sense of identity? (I wouldn't think so. It seems a merely subjective value.)<BR/><BR/>Still, I think it's reasonable to expound the value of rationality as "what separates us from mere beasts". This is because there is intrinsic value to being a <I>person</I> (whether human, Martian, or whatever). This distinguishing trait is not merely contingent like the others you discuss. New Zealanders can exist without kiwis, but a mindless person is a contradiction in terms.Richard Y Chappellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16725218276285291235noreply@blogger.com