Freethought & Rationalism Archive

fromtheright · 04-13-2002, 05:16 PM

If our rights aren't given to us by God or through natural law, where do they come from?

Wyrdsmyth · 04-13-2002, 05:26 PM

Our imaginations.

Which also, incidentally, is where God and laws come from, too.

Is that any help?

fromtheright · 04-13-2002, 05:29 PM

May they rightfully be taken away from us? Does might make right?

UnaffiliatedOld · 04-13-2002, 05:33 PM

I can see where you are going with this.

Quote:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights

The simple fact is there are no rights that we are granted by any creator. If all men were created with these rights, all men would have them.

Since this is clearly not the case, people were not created with rights, we were either given them or took them

fromtheright · 04-13-2002, 05:33 PM

I'm probably making a mistake putting this in the Philosophy forum, since the discussions in this forum are usually well over my head, rather than Politics but I'm just trying to get a better sense of you guys' thinking in political philosophy.

Edited re Philosophy forum

[ April 13, 2002: Message edited by: fromtheright ]

fromtheright · 04-13-2002, 05:39 PM

Unaffiliated,

You're not as good a mind reader as you think ,

my intent was simply as I stated, just curious, since I disagree so strongly with so many of you, what y'all think on this question. Not looking for debate or argument(which I'm not sure I could do very well on this topic anyway), just curious.

[ April 13, 2002: Message edited by: fromtheright ]

99Percent · 04-13-2002, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by fromtheright:
If our rights aren't given to us by God or through natural law, where do they come from?

Reason.

Mackjoy · 04-13-2002, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by fromtheright:
If our rights aren't given to us by God or through natural law, where do they come from?

Our rights are not given, they are only taken away.
In the beginning we had the right to do anything.

At least thats the way i see it.

Mack

jpbrooks · 04-13-2002, 06:54 PM

Definition:

Quote:

rights:

Justified expectations about the benefits other people or society ought to provide. We are entitled to our rights in the sense that others have a moral obligation to respect them. At an individual level, my duty to act toward you in a certain way entails your corresponding right to my performance of that action.

Isn't there more than one kind of "rights"? For instance, would the "rights" that are alluded to by "animal rights" advocates be of the same kind as those that apply to humans?

[ April 13, 2002: Message edited by: jpbrooks ]

99Percent · 04-13-2002, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mackjoy:


Our rights are not given, they are only taken away.
In the beginning we had the right to do anything.

At least thats the way i see it.

Mack

Actually that is quite an important point. Initially we would like to do anything. However reality restricts our actions. Reason tells us why. If we don't cater to our reason we can die in the process of trying out our irrational intentions.

Animal rights are discarded precisely because animals don't intially want to do everything. They don't have a will of their own.

04-13-2002, 05:16 PM	#1
fromtheright Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 633	Where do rights come from? If our rights aren't given to us by God or through natural law, where do they come from?

04-13-2002, 05:33 PM	#5
fromtheright Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 633	I'm probably making a mistake putting this in the Philosophy forum, since the discussions in this forum are usually well over my head, rather than Politics but I'm just trying to get a better sense of you guys' thinking in political philosophy. Edited re Philosophy forum [ April 13, 2002: Message edited by: fromtheright ]</p>

04-13-2002, 05:39 PM	#6
fromtheright Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 633	Unaffiliated, You're not as good a mind reader as you think , my intent was simply as I stated, just curious, since I disagree so strongly with so many of you, what y'all think on this question. Not looking for debate or argument(which I'm not sure I could do very well on this topic anyway), just curious. [ April 13, 2002: Message edited by: fromtheright ]</p>

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

04-13-2002, 05:26 PM	#2
Wyrdsmyth Senior Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Sarver, PA, USA Posts: 920	Our imaginations. Which also, incidentally, is where God and laws come from, too. Is that any help?

04-13-2002, 05:29 PM	#3
fromtheright Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 633	May they rightfully be taken away from us? Does might make right?

Freethought & Rationalism Archive

The archives are read only.