X-Message-Number: 17337 Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2001 22:16:16 -0700 From: Mike Perry <> Subject: Self-Valuing versus "Evaluation" George Smith, in #17323, says "I am 100% FOR evaluating and placing a value on OTHERS and the WORLD in general." He does not want to do that to/for himself, however. My feeling is that *all* sentinent beings have value, and I mean positive value, though I know this position is a tough one to maintain, if you consider all the cases. I do so in my book, however, for what I think are good reasons, and I won't go into it further here. But to be consistent, I must conclude that I too have value. (I am a sentient being.) But this does not imply an "evaluation" to see "how much" value any given individual may have, with all the negatives that might be associated with so doing. I just don't see that thinking that beings or people each have positive value (are not worthless or worse than that) must equate to some detailed evaluation process, and in particular, one in which some must improperly be found wanting, and must suffer therefor. Why does all that have to follow? I have a question that I think has a bearing on this, as well as certain, more immediate issues in cryonics: do you value your memories? Mike Perry Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=17337