Moral Status Survey, part III

Restate your identity in question 1, and then answer the remaining questions as completely as you can. Some of the questions require knowledge of theories of moral status, which can be found in the class's powerpoint or video on the concept of moral status.

Q.1

Did you answer question 1 and question 2 differently? If so, explain what you think is different about the two situations

Question 1 was "It is wrong to eat meat that has been raised in inhumane factory farm conditions." Question 2 was "It is wrong to house the severely mentally disabled in hospitals with inhumane conditions."

Q.2

How did you answer question 8? Why did you answer that way?

Question 8 was "Once someone falls into a permanent vegetative state, they are basically dead. The only thing being kept alive is their body, which is not significant for moral purposes."

Q.3

How would someone who adopts a sapience-only view of moral status answer questions 3, 7 and 8?

Question 3 was, "Aborting a fetus is equivalent to killing a normal adult human being, and should only be done in circumstances that would justify killing a normal adult human." Question 7 was, "If we encountered a planet full of space aliens similar to us in their intelligence and society, there would be nothing morally wrong with exterminating the local population and taking the planet's resources back to Earth." Question 8 was, "Once someone falls into a permanent vegetative state, they are basically dead. The only thing being kept alive is their body, which is not significant for moral purposes."

Q.4

Did you answer question 3 and 4 differently? If so, why? Do your reasons relate to the reasons for your answers for questions 1 and 2?

Question 3 was, "Aborting a fetus is equivalent to killing a normal adult human being, and should only be done in circumstances that would justify killing a normal adult human." Question 4 was " Killing a normal chimpanzee is equivalent to killing a normal adult human being, and should only be done in circumstances that would justify killing a normal adult human being. "

Q.5

Why do you think question 14 was included?

Question 14 was "What matters about me is not my outward appearance, but what goes on inside my spirit. "