Equality

Are we all equal? Or are some people better than others? Is a serial killer worse than a person who has never committed a crime? Is a Neo Nazi worse than a political moderate? Are highly intelligent people better than people with low intelligence?

No, because I’m partial.

To put it another way - equal at what? Once you add the “at what” the only possible answer is no. We’re not all equal.

That doesn’t mean that “no” is the only possible answer, though. “Yes” is a very important answer. Keeps you from taking certain things too seriously. “We’re all equal in the eyes of God” is a healthy sentiment, whether you are a theist or not.

I mean fundamentally equal in value.

Not sure what you’re getting at…

‘Fundamentally equal in value’. You don’t know what that means?

I mean are some human beings just better than others? Usain Bolt is definitely better at sprinting, Novak Djokovic is better at playing tennis. There are all sorts of people who are better than others at various different things. Some are arguably more intelligent, more rational, more morally virtuous. Do any of these qualities make people straightforwards better people than others? Is a pro bono doctor in Africa working tirelessly to save children’s lives just better than a serial child murderer? Is a Harvard professor of physics just better than a man with severe learning difficulties?

Nobody is fundamentally equal in value

I already gave my answer though. I don’t get it.

To whom? Measured how?

No but some people are more equal than others. :wink:

Saying everyone is equal is a term for human rights not science or such. Everyone is born equal under the law, for example. No one is equal, especially not me. :slight_smile:

Depends on context for example I am equally a part of our society as everyone else. Running the 100m, I think Usain Bolt has a slight edge. Maybe a few hundredths of a second. :wink:

I can’t explain it any further than I have done.

Are some human beings better than others? I don’t see how you can’t get it.

To everything. Measured by everything.

What is there not to get about my answer?

All of it. I do get it though. You’re being a pretentious idiot. That’s it.

Being that if he’s equal to you, that doesn’t matter, wouldn’t it?

How am I being pretentious? I answered your question. Relative to certain things there is better and worse. In a non-relative sense I think it can make sense to say that we are all equal, and it is a worthwhile sentiment. Whether or not you agree, what don’t you understand about that?

To every measure, measured by whom?

This could go on for a while. I think though Humean is trying to set up a condition and basis for the judgement of equality? How do we judge it? Why do we judge it, and what are we talking about in focus here?

How do you define equality, what does it mean to you? Hell throw us a fricking bone… need the info here people.

You aren’t however I am feeling rather superior to you right now for not attracting his ire. I am considerably more humble and meek than you, and hence better at equality and shit. :wink:

You’re right, no doubt!

“All humans are equal value” is just a platitude. Philosophy is about questioning things. So what do you mean, all humans are of equal value to everything measured by everything? I’m considerably more valuable than my mother if you want someone on your basketball team. If you want to learn about English literature, she’s your go-to woman.

Insofar as all people have equal legal rights, they’re equal. But not “equal in value” - that means nothing, out of the context of a valuer and a metric. Just like the attribute “a better person” doesn’t make any sense without a frame of reference. The fact that one can’t point to someone as being “better” without specifying how doesn’t mean they’re equal, it means that the adjective “better” is (literally) senseless.

Please keep your tone civil, equal2u.

O_H, would you say the invention of the God’s eye view has no use at all?