Dave Sill wrote, criticizing Eliezer Y.'s statement
>> Every conscious being is a citizen.
and asks
> Including cats and dogs? People with IQ < 25?
In my opinion, this incidiary question will confuse
a lot of people, and understandably so. We must be
very clear that what you are suggesting, I hope, is
something not in the context of a pre-existing
arrangement that (a) supports rights of citizens
regardless of their IQs (b) culturally defines
"respect" and "loyalty" so that it is odious to
defect against other members of your society.
> Citizen of what? Sim City? And what rights
> does that confer? By what authority?
Exactly the right question! My answer: a pre-existing
social arrangement, like the one all the people reading
this list habitually find themselves immersed in.
Lee Corbin
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