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Re:Giant Panda no longer an endangered species by majewsky on Tuesday September 06, 2016 @04:40AM (#12434443)
I think I can see the problem with his argument. He argues that in judging a person's actions, I should only look at that action in isolation, so as not to hold the person accountable for others' actions.

If I were to look at the isolated action of buying Rhino horn, I could easily argue that no harm is done by trading Rhino horn that has already been cut off a Rhino. But that's not what happens in his argument: He notes that the isolated action of Rhino horn buying is in fact illegal, but ignores that the origin of this rule directly contradicts his moral reasoning.

Re:Giant Panda no longer an endangered species by DominikR on Tuesday September 06, 2016 @05:13AM (#12434570)
I do not view a persons action in complete isolation, that's not what I said.

I just say it is a different thing if you kill a Rhino yourself (or order someone to kill one for you) than walking down a market in Hong Kong, seeing some Rhino horn for sale and then deciding to buy it.

Buying the Rhino horn is not legal in any civilised place (because it most likely comes from illegal sources), but the punishment is also not the same one that you would get for walking into your nearest zoo and killing a Rhino yourself, and rightly so.