A Good Question to Ask Pro-Lifers
Courtesy Mike Stark, a dude who spends his time annoying conservative media men. Mike, keep up the good work.
The question is this: "You find yourself in a blazing fertility clinic - the fire is ferocious. In one corner there is a two year old girl. In another, there is a petri dish with five fertilized blastula in it. You can rescue one or the other, but not both. Which do you rescue, the girl or the petri dish?"
First, make sure you ask the pro-lifer if he/she believes life begins at conception. Once they inevitably say yes, launch into the question. It's quite the conundrum.
If they say they would save the 5 blastula, they are being consistent. The petri dish holds 5 lives, according to them, while the little girl only represents one life.
However, saving the petri dish, while the consistent answer for the pro-lifer, is a completely ridiculous response. If the pro-lifer is honest with themselves and the questioner, they will answer that they would save the little girl. However, this answer tacitly admits that somehow, the one life of the little girl is more valuable than the 5 "lives" in the petri dish. Reconciling this answer is a problem for a pro-lifer.
Most likely, the answer you get will be similar to this neophyte radio host's answer; a frustrated barrage of ad hominem attacks riddled with inconsistencies and hypocrisy. It is a rare fundamentalist pro-lifer who would answer this question honestly without attacking you first. That's what they're taught to do, after all.
Now, I know most of you on the left don't need debating tips. It's quite easy to frustrate a freeper. But, there are a plethora of sites (and schools) teaching fundamentalists how to debate, so I figured a little taste of their own medicine wouldn't hurt.
The question is this: "You find yourself in a blazing fertility clinic - the fire is ferocious. In one corner there is a two year old girl. In another, there is a petri dish with five fertilized blastula in it. You can rescue one or the other, but not both. Which do you rescue, the girl or the petri dish?"
First, make sure you ask the pro-lifer if he/she believes life begins at conception. Once they inevitably say yes, launch into the question. It's quite the conundrum.
If they say they would save the 5 blastula, they are being consistent. The petri dish holds 5 lives, according to them, while the little girl only represents one life.
However, saving the petri dish, while the consistent answer for the pro-lifer, is a completely ridiculous response. If the pro-lifer is honest with themselves and the questioner, they will answer that they would save the little girl. However, this answer tacitly admits that somehow, the one life of the little girl is more valuable than the 5 "lives" in the petri dish. Reconciling this answer is a problem for a pro-lifer.
Most likely, the answer you get will be similar to this neophyte radio host's answer; a frustrated barrage of ad hominem attacks riddled with inconsistencies and hypocrisy. It is a rare fundamentalist pro-lifer who would answer this question honestly without attacking you first. That's what they're taught to do, after all.
Now, I know most of you on the left don't need debating tips. It's quite easy to frustrate a freeper. But, there are a plethora of sites (and schools) teaching fundamentalists how to debate, so I figured a little taste of their own medicine wouldn't hurt.
posted by Willis at 10:38 PM
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