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Full Idea
If I am obliged not to do any harm to my fellow man, it is less because he is a rational being than because he is a sentient being.
Gist of Idea
If we should not mistreat humans, it is mainly because of sentience, not rationality
Source
Jean-Jacques Rousseau (Discourse on the Origin of Inequality [1754], Pref)
Book Ref
Rousseau,Jean-Jacques: 'The Basic Political Writings', ed/tr. Cress,Donald A. [Hackett 1987], p.36
A Reaction
How should sentience and rationality be weighted here? Kant demands instrinsic respect for beings on the grounds of their rationality. What could ever justify doing needless harm to anything? An open goal for virtue theory here.
| 193 | Some things are good even though they are not beneficial to men [Plato] |
| 26 | Wealth is not the good, because it is only a means [Aristotle] |
| 19752 | If we should not mistreat humans, it is mainly because of sentience, not rationality [Rousseau] |
| 20278 | 'Marginal utility' says something is more useful if it is in short supply [Singer] |
| 3786 | Aggression in defence may be beneficial but morally corrupting [Glover] |