ABSTRACT
Chapter 5 argues that human beings do have intrinsic dignity. If you and I have intrinsic dignity at every point in which we exist, then a lot is at stake when one considers intentionally killing or harming you or me. This too is highly controversial, but again, the edge is blunted because this chapter also argues that such a view is much more ecumenical than previously appreciated. The first part of the book argues for epistemic diffidence in relation to actions intended to kill or harm human beings. Epistemic diffidence, if justified, means that there are insufficient reasons for acting on a belief that x is permissible, where x is an act of killing/harming a human being. The reason: the cost of being wrong is irrecusable. The remaining chapters argue that this argument is sound and valid for the different substitution instances of x.
