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From: franka@mmintl.UUCP (Frank Adams)
Newsgroups: net.politics.theory
Subject: Re: Reason gets no respect from Berman
Message-ID: <906@mmintl.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 17-Dec-85 10:37:55 EST
Article-I.D.: mmintl.906
Posted: Tue Dec 17 10:37:55 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 20-Dec-85 21:53:22 EST
References: <1538@hound.UUCP> <1671@cbsck.UUCP> <334@l5.uucp>
Reply-To: franka@mmintl.UUCP (Frank Adams)
Organization: Multimate International, E. Hartford, CT
Lines: 28

In article <334@l5.uucp> laura@l5.UUCP (Laura Creighton) writes:
>In article <1671@cbsck.UUCP> pmd@cbsck.UUCP (Paul M. Dubuc) writes:
>>How does reason compel one to believe that all humans have equal value?
>
>I don't think that it does.  But, if you value the ability to reason then
>it will be very clear that those who can reason are valuable.  And you
>then cannot use violence against people because they are valuable and it
>is inconsistent with your valuing of reason.

Whoa!  None of this follows.

First, what is your starting point?  If you are starting with selfishness,
then you value your ability to reason, but not necessarily anyone elses.

Even if you do value reason, it is a bit of a jump to value anything which
reasons.  This certainly doesn't lead to valuing humans equally; some can
reason better than others.

Finally, just because you value people doesn't absolutely rule out the use
of force against them.  Given that you value their reason, this is a reason
why use of force is intrinsically a bad thing -- but there may be other
factors, which are more important.  In other words, the use of force may
be justified.  I have yet to hear anyone deny this -- at a minimum,
initiation of force by the other person is taken as adequate justification.
But if there can be one justification, there can be others.

Frank Adams                           ihpn4!philabs!pwa-b!mmintl!franka
Multimate International    52 Oakland Ave North    E. Hartford, CT 06108