>Try "brain, consciousness, and ability to suffer." Unless your
>criterion for valuing human life is based on something else, such as
>an immortal soul that you don't believe in, or resembling you, which
>is a bit arbitrary.
My "criteria" (I assume you mean basis) for valuing human life is that I am human life and I value my life. So as other people will tend to also value human life and incidentally they will value my life, I selfishly espouse that as a moral principle. I'm quite certain that this is the material basis of this moral principle and that all moral principles have a material basis.
Whereas I don't contemplate ever becoming a fish or a fowl. If you are one of those who tended to believe you might reincarnate as a fish or fowl, then perhaps you might be inclined to expand the moral protection of other forms of life. I can see where they are coming from, but I think its a a bit far-fetched.
Bill Bartlett Bracknell Tas