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Rade
When Jefferson wrote the words... we hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal...what did he mean ?
Well, they were slaves, so they could hardly count as men, could they?van gogh said:what about blacks
In other words, human rights are an absolute (self-evidently so) granted by creator equally to all men, e.g., morality is an absolute -- this is the ethical position of Jefferson ?loseyourname said:He meant that each had an equally inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Rade said:In other words, human rights are an absolute (self-evidently so) granted by creator equally to all men, e.g., morality is an absolute -- this is the ethical position of Jefferson ?
Not really, since you needed property qualifications in order to have the right to vote and/or hold offices.selfAdjoint said:Of course Jefferson's views on women, blacks, and indians wouldn't pass muster today, but insofar as white men were concerned he was a democrat.
Is it rather odd that you would include 'class' in that list, as that's the very kind of discrimination that the phrase was targeting.Parabox said:of course all men aren't truly born equal, not to the same class, intelligence, physical considition, etc.
Rade said:When Jefferson wrote the words... we hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal...what did he mean ?
You take your marching orders from nature then? An animal, hm?navneet1990 said:but i still don't believe all men are equal
i aint no hitler or anything but that's what i learn from nature
You do realize that the sayting is actually "all men are created equal"?navneet1990 said:no no i don't think you understood what i meant to say
i was saying that all human beings arent equal
thats just my opinion
fine everyone being given equal oppurtunities and everything but not all men are equal
navneet1990 said:is it
i don't believe that
even though we should give everyone a fair chance and have human rights and all
but i still don't believe all men are equal
i aint no hitler or anything but that's what i learn from nature
Yes. I whole point is that we are judged on the things we CAN change and whether we DO or not, not on the things we CAN'T change.sd01g said:All men 'created' equal does not necessarily mean they, then, remain equal or must remain equal. Things change.
And would you allow those with with better genes and intellect to own land and to vote, while those with poorer genes and intellect have no such rights?navneet1990 said:its not that all people are \either born as slaves or high class and all
its just that some are born with more intellect and better genes and some not
Jefferson meant that all individuals, regardless of their race, gender, or social status, are entitled to the same rights and opportunities. This statement was included in the Declaration of Independence as a fundamental principle of democracy and equality.
While Jefferson did write that all men are created equal, he was also a slave owner and held racist beliefs. It is believed that he meant this statement to apply only to white, property-owning men, rather than all individuals.
Jefferson's main evidence for equality was his belief in natural rights. He argued that all individuals are born with certain inherent rights, such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. He also believed in the social contract, where the government's role is to protect these rights for all individuals.
No, Jefferson's concept of equality only applied to men. He did not believe that women should have the same rights and opportunities as men, and this was reflected in his actions and writings.
Over time, the interpretation of Jefferson's statement has evolved. While it was originally meant to apply only to white, property-owning men, it has come to represent the idea of equality for all individuals regardless of race, gender, or social status. It has also been used as a rallying cry for various social justice movements, such as the Civil Rights Movement.