Value Of Human Life Essay

People argue about the value of a human life almost everyday whether it be divided

equally or distributed amongst others by different means. The government began to allocate

money to attempt to compensate for the death of the 9/11 victims. This enraged many families

due to their dead family members lives being only worth a few thousand dollars. The value of a

human life remains as a highly controversial topic for which the government should allocate

money equally to victims, because lives are not something you can put a value on.

In “What Is The Value Of A Human Life?” Kenneth Feinberg is placed in charge of

developing a system to allocate money to the victims of the tragedy on September 11th.

Feinberg “[l]ast year… was again asked to design and administer a

compensation system...This
time all victims[,]students and faculty alike[,] would receive the same compensation.”
Feinberg’s actions tell us that he believes that the families’ victims on September 11th should
receive the same compensation for their deaths. As he comes to this decision Feinberg “
realize[s] that Feinberg the citizen should trump Feinberg the lawyer.”Feinberg’s morals take a
big effect on what he decides to do.

Feinberg is at war with himself. He wants to give an equal

amount to the victim’s families, but as a lawyer should not do. This war with himself allows us to

see that Feinberg really wants to allocate the money equally but is a man of the government.

At one of the talks with the victims families’ Feinberg was asked “ [M]y husband was a

fireman and died a hero at the World Trade Center. Why are you giving me less money than the

banker who represented Enron? Why are you demeaning the memory of my husband”

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Kenneth explanation that he was only “basing [his] decision on law, just as juries did

everyday...fell on deaf ears. Grieving families couldn’t hear it. And I didn’t believe it myself.”

Feinberg sees that the value of life is something very high and something that is very hard to

replace. The compensation for a life should be equal as said by Feinberg. Each victim’s families

should be given the same amount for their death. He “found the law in conflict with [his]

growing belief in the equality of all life. Feinberg’s belief in equality for life is why the

government should distribute money equally to victims of a

tragedy.
Lives aren’t something you can put a value, but when a tragedy occurs the government
should allocate money to compensate for the deaths of the loved ones. Feinberg’s morality shows
through his actions that he too, agrees that lives are not something you can put a value on.