Actually, I read it and still don't have any problem with the knee-jerk responses it has evoked. (Well, I do have a problem with anyone who says that he has no right to voice his opinion.)
The right to free speech in this country is only implied in common law, rather than enshrined in Constitutional Law as in the US, but as a passionate believer in freedom of expression I think it needs to be clarified as "You have the right to say what you think, but everyone else has the right to tell you that you are talking out of your arse."
I suspect that if he chose to, Peter Singer could construct a similar argument to justify canibalism under the right circumstances. It would be hard to argue with his reasoning because he's very good at coming up with positions that are hard to reason against.
Most people would still feel that cannibalism is wrong and would be horrified by the idea, even if they could not refute Singer's arguments on logical grounds.
It gives me hope for my fellow-creatures that their reaction to an attempt at offering a justification for torture, however well argued, is still "No. That is wrong!"
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Date: 2005-05-17 07:18 am (UTC)The right to free speech in this country is only implied in common law, rather than enshrined in Constitutional Law as in the US, but as a passionate believer in freedom of expression I think it needs to be clarified as "You have the right to say what you think, but everyone else has the right to tell you that you are talking out of your arse."
I suspect that if he chose to, Peter Singer could construct a similar argument to justify canibalism under the right circumstances. It would be hard to argue with his reasoning because he's very good at coming up with positions that are hard to reason against.
Most people would still feel that cannibalism is wrong and would be horrified by the idea, even if they could not refute Singer's arguments on logical grounds.
It gives me hope for my fellow-creatures that their reaction to an attempt at offering a justification for torture, however well argued, is still "No. That is wrong!"