Humanity tends to value human life over all else. Why is this so? And do our actions reflect this belief?
The “sanctity of life” is the concept that human life is more valuable than all other living or materialistic things in this world. This concept is generally attributed to the many major religions of the world that believe that human life is deemed precious by God. There are many other philosophies and rational theories to the value of human life that adds to this entrenched belief.
Aristotle believed that because of human beings’ ability to reason, we are incredibly valuable. Humans are at the top of the food chain because we are able to deduce, use our intellect, and have self-awareness. Aristotle believed that an inherently rational soul was to be valued as such.
St. Thomas Aquinas, an Aristotelian philosopher, proposed a theory of “natural law”. This theory put forth that a human being was programmed with two primary beliefs - self-preservation and continuation of the species, both of which condemn killing another human. As a result, most of humanity puts a high price on the life of a human.
In an everyday context, we can see the value of life when a life is cut short. We call it a tragedy. We mourn what that person could have been, accomplished, or added to society. The absence of a soul affects those who are left behind for a lifetime.
Regardless of which way you look at it, human life is precious. That is why it is of the utmost importance that we ask ourselves what we are doing to help a fellow human. So many of us will be the first to attest that we should save a life. However, how many of us will take action to do so, and to ensure that life is given the necessary environment to grow and strive.
Life for Relief and Development believes in the preciousness of human life. It demonstrates this belief by tirelessly working to save and improve the lives of people all over the world.
LIFE is inspired by the number of people that are willing to donate and lend a helping hand in an effort to better humankind. It is through our cohesion and cumulative cooperation that we can have our world reflect our belief that every life is precious.
