- If dualism is false, the emergence of a human person is a gradual process.
- If the emergence of a human person is a gradual process, the coming into existence of all human rights is a gradual process.
- If the coming into existence of a human right is a graduate process, then that right comes in a continuum of degrees from zero to fullness.
- All human rights come into existence.
- There are human rights that do not come in a continuum of degrees from zero to fullness.
- So, dualism is true.
The best way to argue for (5) is by way of example. For instance, as the right not to be killed solely for the convenience of others is not something that comes in degrees from zero to fullness.
4 comments:
I hate to be contrary, but I don't think (1) is necessarily true. There could be non-dualist views that ascribe total personhood to all humans (from zygote onward).
Won't the joining of sperm and egg be gradual?
Surely the dualist believes that a soul is assigned at some specific point in that process, right? The non-dualist could ascribe personhood at that same point, no?
The ensoulment point could be fairly arbitrary. It could even be random within some range. It need not correspond to any significant change in the biological stuff.
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