Okay, sorry about the wait. Now let's assume that value is "totally subjective." I want to tease out some implications of this in our illustration.
It is often the case, that people who put themselves in these situations have little self-esteem or self-worth. It is often the case that they have never been valued by parents and friends, and often go to extremes of cutting themselves "in order to feel real." At any rate, let's assume this to the case concerning the tramp-dresser, that she does not have sense of value for herself. By your lights, when she is alone she is of no value at all, her life is not a good thing or a bad thing, since all value, i.e., human dignity is subjectively derived. (Conversely, most of us have some degree self-esteem or sense of personal value, we when we are alone we retain some measure of human value that is grounded in our subjective consciousness.)
Now, when you walk by I gather that on a scale of one to ten throwing the blanket and moving on is representative of a three, or, maybe four. But when you leave and the rapist, who sees her as nothing but flesh, returns to steal the blanket is she back at zero. Now it might be objected that her life has some value because this is still generated by your state of subjective consciousness, even in your absence. So, is she a three or nothing at all? We couldn't discern, adjudicate, or say much that is productive here; however, it might be said that that rapist/now thief would trump you on this because his conscious evaluation is most immediate to yours--she becomes the object of his conscious experience and not your own. I'm not sure.
At any rate, there is something in many that resists these kinds of implications. What would you say to ease the tension we experience here in regard to the value of this girl's life?
And, lastly, let's say that you are right about the subjective origination of value. Can the same be said about rights or would you say that rights are intrinsic while value is subjective? What do you think about the notion of intrinsic rights? Are we given rights or do he have them? This is important since the American Revolution was based on the latter belief.
What do you think? Thanks for knocking this around with me. forgive the typos.
Best,
wcs
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