Does everyone have a right to life?
Jeremy Bentham famously dismissed all talk of rights, and said that talk of 'natural rights' was 'nonsense on stilts'. Yet in 1948, following the atrocities of the Holocaust, the United Nations declared that all human beings had basic rights, including the right to life.
When does the right to life begin? This question is covered in the sections on abortion and Embryo Research. When do we lose the right to life? This is an issue that comes up in discussions about euthanasia. So there is a grey area before birth, and a lack of clarity surrounding people in a persistent vegetative state.
Peter Singer calls for a re-evaluation of the basic assumption that all humans have the right to life. He doesn't merely look at those difficult questions at beginning and end of life, he asks why hang on to the principle of the sanctity of human life at all?
This site will look at what a 'right to life' might be and the issues raised around a right to life. It considers specific case studies, giving ethical responses to the issues. There is also a Christian response, covering several denominations, and some resources for A level students. There are links to some excellent books, as well as an interactive quiz and practice A level RS questions.
