World-renowned physicist Stephen Hawking, who has lived with ALS, a progressive neuromotor condition, has endorsed assisted suicide in a recent BBC interview.
His comments below reveal that being a genius in a given field doesn’t guarantee brilliance or even a lack of stupidity outside of that field. His remarks show a lack of any kind of depth, insight or real thought about the subject. Here’s a bit from the BBC interview:
UK cosmologist Prof Stephen Hawking has publicly said he backs the notion of assisted suicide for people with terminal illnesses.
In an interview with the BBC he said: “We don’t let animals suffer, so why humans?”
Prof Hawking, who has progressive motor neurone disease, has in the past been less candid about the idea, saying “while there’s life, there’s hope”.
But he stressed that there must be safeguards to prevent abuse.
Gee, “safeguards,” professor? What would they be? How would they work? Why just “terminal?” And while we’re at it, what’s your definition of “terminal?”
And about those animals…. Do you really think that chickens, cattle, etc. live comfortably in factory farming conditions?
Maybe you were just talking about pets.
Try reading this before you wax poetic about “suffering” and pets:
Let’s put this pet theory to sleep
Excerpt:
…the statistics on the euthanasia rates of animal rates in shelters paint a grim picture. The reasons owners abandon them there aren’t very pretty either:
* They are abandoned and unwanted. According to the American Humane Association, “56% of dogs and 71% of cats that enter animal shelters are euthanized.”
* They have a personality or behaviour problem. (According to the SPCA, this is the single most common reason for euthanizing dogs accounting for as much as 60% of cases.)
* Their caregivers are no longer willing or no longer able to continue caring for them.
* They are considered to be unattractive.
* They have a treatable health condition but euthanasia is a cheaper alternative.
* They are getting old.
* They have physical traits considered to be undesirable for their breed.
* They have untreatable terminal diseases and are in pain.
In many cases, there is no single, clear reason.
The reality, Professor Hawking, is that you should be grateful you’re a human. Most likely, if you were someone’s pet dog, they would have “put you out of “your misery” a long time ago, even if you didn’t feel particularly miserable. But they’re the ones who get to tell everyone they saved you from “suffering.”
the statistics on the euthanasia rates of animal rates in shelters paint a grim picture. The reasons owners abandon them there aren’t very pretty either:
* They are abandoned and unwanted. According to the American Humane Association, “56% of dogs and 71% of cats that enter animal shelters are euthanized.”
* They have a personality or behaviour problem. (According to the SPCA, this is the single most common reason for euthanizing dogs accounting for as much as 60% of cases.)
* Their caregivers are no longer willing or no longer able to continue caring for them.
* They are considered to be unattractive.
* They have a treatable health condition but euthanasia is a cheaper alternative.
* They are getting old.
* They have physical traits considered to be undesirable for their breed.
* They have untreatable terminal diseases and are in pain.
In many cases, there is no single, clear reason.
– See more at: https://www.mercatornet.com/articles/view/lets_put_this_pet_theory_to_sleep#sthash.iGZcP18q.dpuf
the statistics on the euthanasia rates of animal rates in shelters paint a grim picture. The reasons owners abandon them there aren’t very pretty either:
* They are abandoned and unwanted. According to the American Humane Association, “56% of dogs and 71% of cats that enter animal shelters are euthanized.”
* They have a personality or behaviour problem. (According to the SPCA, this is the single most common reason for euthanizing dogs accounting for as much as 60% of cases.)
* Their caregivers are no longer willing or no longer able to continue caring for them.
* They are considered to be unattractive.
* They have a treatable health condition but euthanasia is a cheaper alternative.
* They are getting old.
* They have physical traits considered to be undesirable for their breed.
* They have untreatable terminal diseases and are in pain.
In many cases, there is no single, clear reason.
– See more at: https://www.mercatornet.com/articles/view/lets_put_this_pet_theory_to_sleep#sthash.iGZcP18q.dpuf
the statistics on the euthanasia rates of animal rates in shelters paint a grim picture. The reasons owners abandon them there aren’t very pretty either:
* They are abandoned and unwanted. According to the American Humane Association, “56% of dogs and 71% of cats that enter animal shelters are euthanized.”
* They have a personality or behaviour problem. (According to the SPCA, this is the single most common reason for euthanizing dogs accounting for as much as 60% of cases.)
* Their caregivers are no longer willing or no longer able to continue caring for them.
* They are considered to be unattractive.
* They have a treatable health condition but euthanasia is a cheaper alternative.
* They are getting old.
* They have physical traits considered to be undesirable for their breed.
* They have untreatable terminal diseases and are in pain.
In many cases, there is no single, clear reason.
– See more at: https://www.mercatornet.com/articles/view/lets_put_this_pet_theory_to_sleep#sthash.iGZcP18q.dpuf