Hey guys, guess what day it is? That's right, it's debate a controversial philosophical topic day!
Anyway, this is a question that people have been asking for centuries, and it applies to a variety of issues like abortion, animal rights, treatment of the mentally handicapped, and potentially treatment of extraterrestrial life or artificial intelligence. That question is at what point is killing something wrong? At what point is something considered truly living and is thus entitled to life?
Personally, I believe that inflicting physical and emotional pain should be avoided whenever possible. That means that I don't eat meat, and I think abortion is wrong after the nervous system has fully developed and it can feel pain (which is about 20 weeks last time I checked), but killing plants, insects, microorganisms, and intelligent machines is okay.
Obviously, this is a very wishy-washy issue since we'll never truly know what it's like to be another form of life, but in principle, what do you believe constitutes life and thus constitutes murder?
EDIT: Many people have pointed out that killing is often done to continue the life of others. Examples include killing in self-defense, killing a serial murderer, or killing animals for food. While I must point out that it is far from necessary for us to eat meat to get our nutrition, the former two examples are more of a calculation of what decision saves more lives than a decision on what the life itself is worth.
So let me rephrase the decision, what is okay to kill or hurt in situations where equally valuable lives are not at stake? Or in other words, at what point does life hold value or is life sacred?

Anyway, this is a question that people have been asking for centuries, and it applies to a variety of issues like abortion, animal rights, treatment of the mentally handicapped, and potentially treatment of extraterrestrial life or artificial intelligence. That question is at what point is killing something wrong? At what point is something considered truly living and is thus entitled to life?
Personally, I believe that inflicting physical and emotional pain should be avoided whenever possible. That means that I don't eat meat, and I think abortion is wrong after the nervous system has fully developed and it can feel pain (which is about 20 weeks last time I checked), but killing plants, insects, microorganisms, and intelligent machines is okay.
Obviously, this is a very wishy-washy issue since we'll never truly know what it's like to be another form of life, but in principle, what do you believe constitutes life and thus constitutes murder?
EDIT: Many people have pointed out that killing is often done to continue the life of others. Examples include killing in self-defense, killing a serial murderer, or killing animals for food. While I must point out that it is far from necessary for us to eat meat to get our nutrition, the former two examples are more of a calculation of what decision saves more lives than a decision on what the life itself is worth.
So let me rephrase the decision, what is okay to kill or hurt in situations where equally valuable lives are not at stake? Or in other words, at what point does life hold value or is life sacred?