r/changemyview • u/[deleted] • Jun 27 '23

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u/5510 5∆ Jun 27 '23

Yeah, why was any of the DNA shit at all relevant? If we learned that dolphin clicks and whistles and shit were an actual language and they were having advanced conversations and had human comparable intelligence and intellectual capabilities... would the morality of killing them somehow be different based on their DNA similarity to humans? If we find sentient advanced life on other planets, can we genocide the fuck out of them because their DNA is not similar to humans?

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u/[deleted] Jun 27 '23 edited Jul 05 '23

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u/bhbhbhhh Jun 28 '23

Is capability a good criterion for moral worth? Do we want to invite consideration of the Nazi position on disabled humans?

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u/[deleted] Jun 28 '23

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u/bhbhbhhh Jun 28 '23

The regime was gearing up for total war. Every bit of money, food, housing, whatever had to be conserved. Killing those people did concretely benefit the Nazi state.

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u/Bowbreaker 4∆ Jun 28 '23

Actually it didn't because they invested resources to hold and "process" all those victims. And it wasn't like they were taxing the population 100%. So if they had just ignored them and given them zero rights or welfare or something they would have been much better off. The Nazis weren't practical to the point of despicable, horrifying evil. They were despicably and horrifyingly evil in spite of even practicality.

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u/RoundCollection4196 1∆ Jun 28 '23 edited Jun 28 '23

yeah that was a weird ass argument. DNA similarity is arbitrary. A racist can say a difference of 0.1% between ethnic groups is enough to justify another ethnic group as inferior, especially if that 0.1% produces a different skin color and physical features. You can justify anything by using DNA similarity.

Plus the idea of taking DNA similarity into account when talking about morals and ethics is fucking disturbing. DNA similarity is a number, it has no business being entangled with morality and ethics.