Amoeba Rules: What is Sanctity?

11-4-10

1.1 Since I have the essential value of an amoeba colony, the question immediately arises: what about the vaunted "sanctity of human life"? In lieu of a soul, is my life in any way more "sanctified" than that of a bug?

1.2 Now here I assume, "in lieu of a soul': the non-existence of any supernatural identity in me. If I, a colony of amoebas, have a soul, do solitary amoebas have souls? If amoebas such as my cells have souls, and I have one zillion cells, how many souls do I have? However if my cells do not have souls, then where is my soul? Some say there is "one huge soul for all". How is "one huge soul for all" different from no soul at all? I conclude that I do not have a soul.

1.3 In any event, I see in myself only the evidence of nature, and nothing supernatural. Who will accuse me of having a soul? We know the accuser has something to prove, but without evidence the accused stands innocent. I am innocent of both souls and ghosts, and gods.

1.4 Since I am innocent of having any god, whether large or small, whence comes the vaunted "sanctity of life", upon which our laws and civilized society depend? How is my colonial amoebas' life different from a solitary amoeba's? Again, if all life has "sanctity", then there is really nothing sacred. Apart from inherent "sanctity", what is my real value? If there is no "sanctity", what of law and order? What of civilization?

1.5 Of course, I have assumed there is a distinct "I" of which to speak; and this is a major assumption, With the realization that I am a "clump of cells", a colony of amoebas, comes the question of whether I can even speak of "myself". But this is a question for another time.