Should we care about people who need never exist?
How do you value a life not yet lived?
In 1852 the HMS Birkenhead, carrying troops to fight the Xhosa wars, struck a rock near Danger Point in what is now South Africa. The soldiers assembled quietly at the ship’s stern, while the women and children on board clambered to safety on a small boat tethered alongside. Over 440 men lost their lives, drowned, crushed, or eaten by sharks.
This article appeared in the Christmas Specials section of the print edition under the headline “All uncreated men are equal”
Christmas Specials December 24th 2022
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- Should we care about people who need never exist?
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- The decline of the city grid
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From the December 24th 2022 edition
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