RESOLVED: Anthropocentrism ought to be valued above biocentrism.

Well, I am going to go ahead and admit that it's obvious to me that you're an LD debater. I'll also say that I'm a CX debater, so I won't have something elaborate prepared for this debate like you do. Instead, I think I'll rely more on wit and logic. Hopefully, this'll bring a larger variety of interested readers and will avoid turning off people who aren't used to the LD scheme since these aren't LD judges voting but ordinary people. == The Pro== The Pro argues that anthropocentrism ought to be valued above biocentrism. The Pro agrees with the Con's definitions about anthropocentrism, biocentrism, and value. == Why utilitarianism is bad == Utilitarianism is a biased and arbitrary standard. Although the Con describes scenarios showing that human sustainability is impossible, it would be difficult to negate the topic in a meaningful way. In the world the Con proposes, where human life is not valued over all life, either 1) that means that we stop population growth, stay at our current population level, and run up the world's resources just like we're doing now (which means that even if we avoid valuing human life above all life, we'd still be in an unsustainable world and utilitarianism would fail when ecosystems end) or 2) we would take measures to lower the human population (which means that lives would be snuffed or otherwise neglected to "increase" the overall happiness). == A better way to view the world== -The Pro suggests another way to view the world instead of scenario 2. The Pro proposes to value beauty. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary Online defines beauty as "the quality or aggregate of qualities in a person or thing that gives pleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit." (1) -The Con argues that the world should be seen in a utilitarian way, as to the greatest good for the greatest number. But how is the "good" valued? An example: it's entirely possible for the U.S. to send dog biscuits as foreign aid to all the impoverished and starving of the world. After all, it feeds many people and it would increase their happiness! Is this "good"?... The Pro argues that it is not. The Dream isn't to just make everyone's life a little bit better; it's to allow people to earn a beautiful life, to enjoy culture, enjoy safety, enjoy relations. This is what the Pro asks that you consider. ==Why beauty exists because humans live== -Humans recognize beauty, but most animals can not. Most animals see life in a survival view, see where their next meal will come, how they'll make it another year. Humans understand many metaphysical things including philosophy, humor, art, poetry, music, and color. Rare is the case when an animal understood the careful meld of colors as meaning something beyond whether or not the object is poisonous and should not be eaten. Things don't carry value with them; things have value because humans value them. A world in which biocentrism is valued rather than anthropocentrism is a world that will eventually have no value at all. Beauty means nothing in a world of only animals and plants; a clump of roses means nothing to the horse who steps on them! The gentle sunset invites bats not to admire and ponder but to begin hunting! A death brings not questions of existence and religion but a pack member to leave behind and a carcass to be decomposed and eaten! How can a world in which all life is valued over human life continue to have any value at all? When the last human realizes that his or her death will benefit the biosphere more than it will hurt him or her and decides to leave this Earth, all value will be thrown out with them. In a world where utilitarianism is valued alongside biocentrism, utilitarianism will eventually mean nothing to an Earth without humans. Animals and plants will scarcely know what it means, let alone be able to continue supporting it. -And so, the Pro argues that even if we're going to meet our inevitable end someday, there's no point in prolonging that day by skimming our footprint to extremely slim levels so that there's "more benefit to pass around"; let's drink to life! A toast to friends and faith and fun, to comfort and kindness and quirks, to opening our eyes and smiling at the beauty that lies before us, the beauty that's not found in the simple fact that we survive on food and sleep but found in the passions we imagine, create, and own. (1) http://www.merriam-webster.com...