All right, this is a question that's been on my mind for a long time now.

Humans are, by almost everyone, considered to be the most valuable things on Earth. Priceless to be precise. Lots of people say that animals are priceless as well since they share most human traits like pain, happiness, depression etc, but they would obviously also say that a human is worth more than any animal as well. The reason to this is probably because humans are more intelligent and sympathetic and therefore will have a more valuable life than an animal who would act just like any other animal of the same species: Purely on instinct.

Now to the actual question: If we were to create life (be it biological or mechanical) that was more intelligent and more sympathetic than humans, would humans no longer be the most valuable life form? And would it then become morally incorrect to save a human instead of a robot/mutant/smartass lifeform in a scenario where you had to choose only one, just like you'd definitely save the human in a human vs animal scenario?

Discuss!

its the most valuable thing in this world

@Basil Great response, and I must agree on most parts. Saving relatives obviously would go before any stranger, even if it's another race. However, let's say that there's a dog that you've owned for +5 years and a human stranger, then the human would be the obvious choice, right? So when choosing between a relative and a mutant stranger who's capable of saving many more humans during its 500 year long life (and who's also nicer, more sympathetic and caring on top of that), the option should, logically by morals, be to save the mutant. And even more obvious if both were strangers and it was a doctor who had to choose.

Basically, humans become animals at some point, in my opinion.

For now; yes. But do you think it's possible to create a species or robot that exceeds that value?

Human in Michigan are worth about $7.25 an hour.

£20.50 plus interest in you want a young'un. You want one that speaks English you'll have to pay a premium.

I think people say humans are more valuable than animals because they are human. While i myself would like to be able to say animals and humans are equal in a life or death situation id save a human over the animal. I love humans as i have said in another thread recently http://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/thread.php?id=140919&page=11#7 (i just cant be bothered to type it all again sorry).

I think that even if we were to create/come across a more advanced life form i would still prefer humans to it. I would definitely save a human over a robot because you can re-build a robot but when its a living thing eg an alien that it would become hard for me as no life can be replaced. Im really not sure what id do in that situation it would probably come down to who needs the most help and if i have time to get the other one out etc etc.

Until that time comes though when i am forced to choose between a human or an alien i will stick with humans. Oh and BTW if the aliens were more advanced etc etc but were hostile and we have no chance of winning id still fight for humanity. (that's just another scenario i thought id throw in the mix)

Just keep in mind that I was assuming that the superior life form was far more sympathetic and had far more moral and intelligence than humans. The logical course would then be to treat us like animals just like we treat even the smartest dolphins like animals.

Edit: Another thing is that since it's easier to recreate robots than humans, that's just another superior trait. It's possible to re-build humans as well, it's just a far more clumsy process.

I know this isn't exactly the question you were asking The1 but I thought it would be interesting for people. If you take into account sales of organs, metals in the body etc then a human is worth £420,000. As in purely as a physical thing all the parts of us are worth that.

Your question was more related to worth as a person but still thought it was interesting ^_^

Yes well even so you stick up for your own kind because theres alot they can learn from you just as we learn from dolphins (and they protect us) so whats to say we cant live with them as equals and work together learning from each other etc