We Are, Quite Literally, Gambling With The

...chimpanzees, Bonobos, Gorillas, And Orangutans Are Thinking, Self-aware Beings, Capable Of Planning Ahead, Who Form Lasting Social Bonds With Others And Have A Rich Social And Emotional Life. The Great Apes Are Therefore An Ideal Case For Showing The Arbitrariness Of The Species Boundary. If We Think That All Human Beings, Irrespective Of Age Or Mental Capacity, Have Some Basic Rights, How Can We Deny That The Great Apes, Who Surpass Some Humans In Their Capacities, Also Have These Rights?

I'm A Utilitarian, So I Don't See The Rule Against Lying As Absolute; It's Always Subject To Some Overriding Utility Which May Prevent Its Exercise.

Unfortunately For Ethical Egoism, The Claim That We Will All Be Better Off If Every One Of Us Does What Is In His Or Her Own Interest Is Incorrect. This Is Shown By What Are Known As "prisoner's Dilemma" Situations, Which Are Playing An Increasingly Important Role In Discussions Of Ethical Theory... At Least On The Collective Level, Therefore, Egoism Is Self-defeating - A Conclusion Well Brought Out By Parfit In His Aforementioned Reasons And Persons.

Philosophy Is Not Politics, And We Do Our Best, Within Our All-too-human Limitations, To Seek The Truth, Not To Score Points Against Opponents. There Is Little Satisfaction In Gaining An Easy Triumph Over A Weak Opponent While Ignoring Better Arguments Against Your Views.

If You Go Back In Time You'll Find Tribes That Were Essentially Only Concerned With Their Own Tribal Members. If You Were A Member Of Another Tribe, You Could Be Killed With Impunity.