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Is life of infinite value?
1Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Cleveland State University.
Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal
|November 10, 2001
Summary
Human life can be valued against other goods, like resource conservation. While a minute of life isn't infinitely valuable, this comparative valuation doesn't equate to full commodification of human life.
Area of Science:
- Bioethics
- Health Economics
- Value Theory
Background:
- Societal decisions often require valuing human life in economic and resource allocation contexts.
- Previous ethical frameworks have debated the extent to which human life can be quantitatively assessed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the possibility and necessity of comparing the value of human life with other goods.
- To analyze the implications of assigning differential value to varying durations of human life.
- To determine if comparative valuation inherently leads to the commodification of human life.
Main Methods:
- Philosophical analysis of value theory.
- Ethical reasoning regarding the valuation of human life.
- Comparative analysis of human life value against resource conservation.
Main Results:
- It is both possible and necessary to compare stretches of human life with other goods.
- A minute of human life is not of infinite value; its value is relative to its duration.
- Comparative valuation of human life does not necessitate total commodification.
Conclusions:
- Valuing human life in comparison to other goods is ethically permissible and practically required.
- Relative valuation of life-years does not equate to treating human life as a mere commodity.
- Ethical frameworks can accommodate the comparative valuation of human life without compromising its inherent dignity.