22

Consider. You have a big toe. It needs a foot. The toe derives purpose and function from the foot. A toe without a foot has no use, no value. Same with the foot. It derives purpose and function from the leg.  A foot without a leg has no use or value. And the leg needs a hip else it is also useless. The hip gives the leg value just as the leg gives the foot value, and the foot gives the toe value. And the hip needs to have a body, and the body needs a brain and so on. Each use needs another to justify its existence until you get to the end of the trail, but if there is no ultimate use or value, the whole series is without value.   That’s the way the world works. Of course, along the way something may have all kinds of uses and values for all kinds of reasons, but the principle remains. It is the ultimate value that counts.

And that’s the way it is with people. Only if you are of some usefulness, some value for some reason—as parent, breadwinner, spouse, neighbor, laborer, guide, social ointment, medical research, fertilizer, precious memories, inspiration, citizen of the world, something—do you have value, and one use will lead to others but not forever. Ultimately, if you are not worth something for some reason, you are, sorry, ultimately worthless.

But we do not, at least civilized people do not, think a person without value is worthless. We believe every human life has some value just because it is a human life, and here we are back to Dostoyevsky: we have value because God values us. However, if there is no God, then we are not ultimately valued, and therefore we are ultimately worthless, and therefore everything is permitted. Why not? Toe. Foot. Leg. Hip. You and me—so many atoms in a sterile universe, and, as Dmitri says, there is no reason why we cannot do whatever we please whenever we please. There might be some social or legal complications, but in principle, if there is no God, everything is permitted.

Now this is not an argument for God. Cross out “if” and “then” if you want. It is only an argument, as Dmitri says, that if there is no ultimate reality, no transcending authority, go ahead, do what you want. Who’s to say no? Hard to argue with Dmitri.