Full Idea
The doctrine of the sanctity of human life has two separate claims, one that there is a special value in the life of a member of our species, and the other that there is a special value in the life of a person.
Gist of Idea
The sanctity of a human life depends either on being of our species, or on being a person
Source
Peter Singer (Practical Ethics [1979], 04)
Book Reference
Singer,Peter: 'Practical Ethics' [CUP 1989], p.78
A Reaction
These don't seem 'separate'. Value cats but not this cat? Value this cat but not cats? In a car crash we value each individual simply because they are people.