What’s So Wrong With Killing People?

By Robert Young

Things To Consider

Young starts out by talking about why murder is justifiably wrong in some cases.

He uses an example of killing someone being the only way to defend yourself, and if that is justifiable.

He goes on to tell us that he will be discussing abortion, euthanasia of animals and humans, and murder.

What Do You Think?

What is considerable to be justified in killing someone?

Do you think that you could live with yourself if you committed a justifiable murder?

A Right To Life

Young goes on to speak about Michael Tooley, that says that an organism can not have a right to life, if it can’t strive for goals, ambitions, and can envision a future for itself.

He makes a point that Tooley doesn’t consider things like, if someone is in a coma and can’t resume their life goals or continue to envision their future. If we had the technology to bring him back it would be okay, but what if we didn’t? Could we kill him?

Life Imprisonment

What if someone is imprisoned for life?

Wouldn’t that violate their ability to continue their goals, and aspects in their life?

So according to Tooley, they would be dead.

Attempted Murder Vs. Rape

Young starts out his second point with two examples for moral justification.

The first is a man kills an attacker because that attacker was trying to murder the man, so they see this as a justified kill.

But he brings up a case where if a girl is about to get raped, and she knows the intent is not murder, she still kills the rapist. He sees this as non-justifiable.

Killing For The Good Of Other People

Is it justifiable to kill one person, in order to save ten?

If killing one person in a situation to save other lives, the people think this is right, but the man that will get killed sees it as a wrong.

What do you think?

Euthanasia

Euthanasia is described in this article as “assisting death” rather than “letting them die”.

There are two types of Euthanasia.

Passive and Active

Active Euthanasia

Active Euthanasia must have four criteria in order to be performed.

An illness that is presently incurable.

Beyond any cure that could be possibly invented within their life expectancy left

In excruciating pain, or escaped from this pain by becoming unresponsive.

And of a fixed and rational desire for death. Before the three conditions above

Active Euthanasia

The problem with this is making the decision whether the person is rational enough to make this decision.

Young talks about how many people assume that they aren’t rational because life is good, whether sick or not.

Suicide

Briefly spoken about, is the act of suicide in this article.

If a person wants to commit suicide, we automatically try to jump in and stop it.

Young says this is because we want to save their autonomy, even if they can’t recognize it.

Although, if someone commits suicide with no one around to help, they have selfishly committed an act of irrationality.

In-Voluntary Euthanasia

Young gives an example of a baby being born by C-Section after it’s parents die in a car crash. As a result from the trauma, the child will have no bladder control, severe brain damage, and will have to live a “pitiful existence” in a home for the mentally retarded.

He sees this as a justifiable reason to do an involuntary Euthanasia, as the child will have no normal life and will have hardships and pain forever.

Although, he mentions he could be persuaded that killing the child is not the maximally just act to perform.

Is Animal Killing Justified?

Do you believe that it is justifiable to hunt animals, when it is not necessary for living?

But say if you are out hunting with your son, and a bear comes out of the woods right beside him ready to attack, would that be oaky?

Young says that the second scenario is okay because you are killing the animal in order to preserve a longer and more fulfilling life expectancy.

Abortion

From my point of view, Young does not believe it is justifiable to have an abortion for no reason at all.

There are exceptions to this, such as a child having severe deformities or it endangering the mothers health.

He states that there should be more preventive measures for abortions that have no reasoning to them.

What I’ve Taken From This

Young believes that some types of killing is morally justifiable.

There will ALWAYS be exceptions to certain aspects such as abortions, or euthanasia.

He states at the end of this article that all of this is about morals. As humans, we must have morals when it comes to situations as serious as killing people, or animals.