Beyond Life Itself: Rethinking Ethics Through Coexistence and Subjectivity

The widely accepted notion that "life is sacred" fails to withstand consistent ethical scrutiny. While this principle appears noble, in practice, humans routinely destroy countless life forms—such as bacteria and viruses—for survival, convenience, or safety. This discrepancy reveals a profound subjective bias: we tend to extend empathy and moral consideration primarily to life forms with which we can identify, often mammals, while ignoring others. Rather than being guided by biological definitions of life, our ethical judgments are shaped by processes of subjective identification. As a result, traditional bioethical principles prove inconsistent and impractical. This paper proposes an alternative standard centered not on the mere presence of life, but on the ability of life forms to coexist harmoniously with others. A "coexistence-centered" ethical framework prioritizes mutual balance, sustainable systems, and interdependent flourishing. It provides a flexible, design-oriented model for ethical reasoning that transcends species boundaries, cultural differences, and rigid moral absolutism. Ultimately, ethics must move from idealized reverence for life toward a pragmatic commitment to coexistence.