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The Telus representative opined that my new Samsung A5 had the best Android camera for photo quality. I thought I would attempt my first photos with the Saint George, icon, the Hintz brought me back from Bulgaria a few years ago. I very much enjoy the art of the icon, although I do not treat it as an icon as I am Reformed, not Eastern Orthodox. I think the photo is of decent quality. It is not as clear as I would like, but the art is sort of rough by nature.
It's worth it if it saves lives
Pirie explains that through this fallacy almost anything can be justified, regardless of the cost. (136).
It is admirable but not practical to philosophically reason that one cannot put a price on a life. The resources of a nation could not all be placed into saving one life. (136-137).
Theoretically, money could be diverted from other government services to make railways safer. (137). More funds could be placed into road safety and health services. (137).
A bottom line of what the author is stating is that there are limited financial resources to save a human life and human lives. I agree. This is true in both public and private contexts; government and corporate.
On the other hand, it would not reasonably take the entirety of a nation's gross domestic product, or more accurately, budget, to save a human life. Saving a life, would never be that costly. Perhaps a small company could bankrupt itself saving a life. Not most corporations.
Could a nation or large corporation go bankrupt attempting to save all lives? Yes, we all die, and there is no cure. But medical research and hospitals do the best they can. This makes this a moot point, because all the money in the world will not keep everyone alive.
I agree that It's worth it if it saves lives is fallacious, but I also reason that in some contexts, a fallacy stating: We just cannot afford it, is also used.
There is not an infinite amount of funds for a human life, but there is not infinite funds for anything. It is a matter of reasonable budgeting.
Biblically, there is a strong sense that a human life takes much priority over money. The love of money is the root of all sorts of evil (1 Timothy 6), whereas there are New Testament calls to love one's neighbour as self (Matthew 22, Mark 12, Luke 10), love one another in the Church (John 13-15) and to love your brother (other people) (1 John 2).
From a New Testament perspective, one is to side more on saving a life, than saving money.
