Human life is full of meaning. As humans, we assign value to many things. But what happens when we assign a specific value to a human life? This is the question presented in the article “What is the Value of a Life” by Amanda Ripley. The government puts a monetary value on a human life, and it does not appeal to the masses. There are many problems with cold calculation and most people cannot see the other side of the numbers. The economic value of a human life is calculated based on the income the person received, but when the check is given to a loved one for a small amount, the compensation is wrongly interpreted as an overall value of human life. The true value of a human life should not be combined with the monetary value determined by the government, otherwise the value of life would be worth very little. In the article "What is a Life Worth" by Amanda Ripley, the families of victims of the tragic incident of September 11 were financially compensated for the loss of their loved ones. This calculation was determined by the income the person received before the tragedy. The goal of the government's monetary compensation was to provide a more stable economic situation for families who depended on these individuals for the majority of their income. Ripley interviews a colorful array of people, all of whom had different opinions, particularly those who were outraged by the amount they had received. Needless to say, the vast majority criticized the government for an unequal and unfair way of distributing money, providing the real value of life, rather than financial compensation. For example, a woman who was killed at the Pentagon left no dependents behind her, so her parents were entitled to money. Its ...... middle of paper ...... but to any tragedy where the government is involved. The value of a human life varies from person to person. Even though as humans we value many things, human life should remain the most precious thing we have. The true value of a human life should not be combined with the monetary value determined by the government, otherwise the value of life would be worth very little. Works Cited Armstrong, Lance and Sally Jenkins. It's not about the bike: my return to life. New York: Putnam, 2000. Print. “Value of Human Life – Financial Calculators from Dinkytown.net.” » Financial calculators. Internet. February 6, 2011. .Ripley, Amanda. “What is a life worth?” Time February 11, 2002. Print. Shakespeare, William, Burton Raffel and Harold Bloom. Hamlet. New Haven: Yale UP, 2003. Print.