"Would I lay down my life to save my brother? No, but I would to save two brothers or eight cousins"

In this quote, John B. S. Haldane is expressing the idea that he values the lives of his member of the family more than his own. He states that he would not sacrifice his life for simply one brother, but he would want to do so for 2 bros or even 8 cousins. This recommends that he puts a high value on the bond of household and wants to make sacrifices for the higher good of his extended household. It likewise highlights the idea that the value of human life boosts when it is linked to our own personal relationships and connections.