Life, Liberty, OR the Pursuit of Happiness

[shadowdude]

In a recent argument I heard, there was a debate about what right is the most important- Life, Liberty, or The Pursuit of Happiness. So my question to you is "Which one is the most important?"

 

[Taliesin]

Pursuit of happiness, I would think, since the other two are means to that end. Life and liberty are not intrinsically valuable.
But here in Canada, we're for peace, order and good government.

 

[nonconformist]

Hmmm. Persuit of happiness is subjective, so, in my opinion, is absolutely worthless.
Life is important, as it protects people from murder and state sanctioned execution.
But liberty is better overall, as it gives people the right to do what they consider right, and also the liberty of the threat of execution.

 

[Mise]

I wanna be happy.

(EDIT: I agree with Taliesin about life and liberty being merely a means to an end, the end being my personal happiness.)

 

[Narz]

Hmmm. Without my life I wouldn't be much able to pursue happiness (at least not in this dimension). So I choose life.

And liberty and the pursuit of happiness kind of go hand in hand don't they?

- Narz

 

[Yom]

Life. it allows you to become free and pursue happiness.

 

[Dan-Beersheba]

Life without liberty is Ayatollaism.
Pursuit of Happiness without liberty is communistic.
Liberty is not tolerant.

Out of the 3 I choose liberty.

 

[Sir Bugsy]

I quote Patrick Henry... "Give me liberty or give me death."

And the New Hampshire state motto... "Live free or die."

On a separate note... How would you like to be the inmates at the New Hampshire state prisons who get to stamp out those license plates stating "live free of die?"

 

[Juka The Dumb]

narz said the problem of the poll, but still i choose pursuit for happiness.

 

[cgannon64]

Liberty, because it requires life, and it provides for the pursuit of happiness.

 

[BasketCase]

Without life, neither liberty nor happiness is possible.

 

[Syterion]

If Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness are intrinsically separated, then Liberty does not mean you will get Happiness. And The pursuit of happiness requires both life and liberty. Therefore pursuit of happiness is the best.

 

[Taliesin]

Just to clarify, is the question about the things themselves or the rights to them? I assumed you meant the things themselves, so I put happiness. But if you mean the rights, then liberty is the most meaningful of the three (the right to the pursuit of happiness is fairly unenforceable).

 

[Godwynn]

Liberty, life is worthless without it, and I cannot be happy if it does not exist.

 

[Juka The Dumb]

whats liberty and happiness if you're dead?

 

[Shadylookin]

Pursuit of happiness because it's the cover all option. to pursue happiness you have to be alive, and you have to have liberties.

 

[nonconformist]

Are people not confusing living with the right of life?

 

[Dan-Beersheba]

Are people not confusing living with the right of life?

Yep, that seems to be the stumbling block there.

 

[Mathilda]

I want to live so that I can be free to pursue happiness

 

[Blasphemous]

Well, the only thing that can objectively matter to any species is the survival of said species.
Thus life is the most essential. If the entire human race were to be enslaved and tortured, I would still rather have humanity survive, even without any freedom or happiness. Without life we would never be free to pursue our happiness again.