Aug 12, · In his essay, Voluntary Euthanasia: A Utilitarian Perspective, Peter Singer reviews ethical arguments regarding voluntary euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide from a utilitarian perspective. Thesis: Singer establishes a solid grounding for the ethicality of legalizing voluntary euthanasia by arguing that the human right to pursue their notion of the good should ?Argument: Peter Singer, “Famine, Affluence and Morality” Peter Singer begins his seminal essay “Famine, Affluence, and Morality” in writing about East Bengal, now Bangladesh, whose people had just suffered a terrible natural disaster. The situation he describes is one that could be told forty years later in the same words and same context, which is to state that little Why Vegan? () The Life You Can Save, 10th Anniversary Edition (). Utilitarianism: A Very Short Introduction (, with Katarzyna de Lazari-Radek). Ethics in the Real World: 82 Brief Essays on Things That Matter (). One World Now: The Ethics of Globalization (). The Most Good You Can Do: How Effective Altruism Is Changing Ideas About Living Ethically ()
Famine, Affluence, and Morality - Wikipedia
A major goal of the human civilization is to get to a point where no individual suffers from the lack of basic necessities. However, this peter singer essay is yet to be met and millions of people continue to suffer and die from lack of access to basic needs. Efforts by governments and policy makers to come up with effective solutions to the problem have not yet led to a permanent solution. Singer proposes that people from wealthier countries can end the suffering of those in need of basic needs by giving away a large part of their wealth to the suffering.
The author argues that citizens of developed nations have a moral obligation to use their wealth to assist those suffering from want of basic necessities.
He begins by highlighting the deaths of thousands of people in East Bengal in from starvation and lack of shelter and medical care. He asserts that their deaths and suffering is peter singer essay as the richer nations have the capacity to give enough assistance to dramatically reduce the sufferings of the Bengali. However, Singer notes that the decisions and actions needed to prevent the suffering have not been made as few people have responded by providing aid.
A major argument by Singer is that it is our moral obligation to prevent a bad thing from happening if it is in our power to do this without great sacrifice on our part. He elaborates that there has been inaction at the individual level and the government level. Singer notes that the governments have the capability to provide more aid than they are currently offering.
He observes that while the British government has given 14, to aid the Bengali refugees, it has contributed , peter singer essay, to the Anglo-French Concorde project.
Another argument made by Singer is that the physical distance between the wealthy nations and the people in need is inconsequential when deciding to offer aid. He asserts that the principle of preventing the bad and promoting the good does not consider distance. Our familiarity with the person benefiting from our action is also inconsequential. As individuals who ascribe to the notion that equality is an important attribute in society, we should not ignore the needs of peter singer essay who are not geographically close to us.
Singer also tackles the issue of whether an individual should feel obliged to help when millions others are in a position to offer assistance. He observes that in many cases, individuals refuse to act since there are millions of other people in a position to help.
He declares that even in such a case, the individual is obliged to act since numbers do not lessen the moral obligation. Being charitable is a commendable attribute but it is not an obligation. For this reason, individuals who do not engage in acts of charity are not condemned by society.
The society would experience profound changes if people lived by the principles proposed. The argument that suffering and dying from lack of basic necessities is bad since every human can agree that these conditions are undesirable, peter singer essay. Anyone who has experienced even a low level of hunger, cold, or sickness can agree with the proposition that these conditions are undesirable.
Taking action to mitigate or eliminate this suffering is a great good. The utilitarian theory supports an action that results in the reduction of peter singer essay and increase in happiness for people. Onora concedes that the ethical action is the one that leads to the peter singer essay of happiness and alleviating suffering brings about this outcome, peter singer essay.
We live in a world rife with economic inequalities. The developed nations have strong economies and their citizens enjoy higher incomes and better standards of living. Individuals in developed nations are able to have discretionary income that is up to one-third of their net income. This excess money is mostly spent on purchasing luxury goods and leisure.
Therefore, the argument that the wealthy are capable of assisting the suffering without having to sacrifice anything of comparable moral importance is true considering the wealth disparities between the developed nations and the developing nations. Singer emphasizes that it would take comparatively little effort on the part of the individual from the developed nation to alleviate the suffering experienced by people in poor nations due to a lack of basic needs.
On the issue of who deserves the assistance of the wealth countries, Singer declares that proximity should not be a consideration. This argument that individuals should not avoid helping others since they are far away is in line with international ideals.
People in the modern world ascribe to the notion that everyone is equal and as such we should be sympathetic to the needs of everyone. The needs of the suffering in Bengal should be given the same consideration by a person in London as those of the poor in his neighborhood. Onora declares that as humans, we have obligations that include helping or being beneficent to others. The argument that we have a moral obligation to assist the suffering though our excess funds is objectionable.
This proposition by singer does not consider the rights that peter singer essay have over their possessions. Arthur asserts that the argument made by Singer that we should always prevent harm to others if this does not necessitate the sacrifice of something of comparable moral importance fails to consider that individuals have a moral right over their possessions.
Each person is entitled to keep his possessions and this takes precedence over the duty to help. The declaration by Singer that people have a duty to give away their excess money to charity is not in line with utilitarianism. Singer challenges the traditional notion of charitable giving by declaring that giving should be a moral duty as opposed to a personal choice, peter singer essay.
Singer declares that it is wrong not to give to charity and the failure to give is tantamount to killing the individuals who might have benefited from our aid. This argument is wrong since without a contract or promise made between the two parties, the suffering people are owed no rights by the wealthy.
Refusing to help the suffering would not be morally wrong since it does not violate the rights of the suffering since, to begin with, they peter singer essay not have the rights. Arthur declares that the decision to help a stranger in peter singer essay as in the Bengal situation is not the result of the right that the suffering have. If he chooses not to help, he cannot be accused of immoral conduct.
People work hard to obtain physical possessions and they therefore deserve the right to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Arthur declares that failure to reward those who work hard would be morally wrong since it is unfair.
This proposal overlooks the fact that an individual is entitled to enjoying his earnings. Humans have divided themselves into different subunits based on geography, language, religion, and other considerations. Arguably the most important division is that of nationality, peter singer essay.
The nation-state requires certain resources from its members and in return it peter singer essay numerous benefits including security, peter singer essay.
When faced with the decision of which group of suffering people to assist, an individual is most likely to give priority to those nearest to him.
In addition to this, proximity is relevant since it contributes peter singer essay the efficiency with which aid is delivered. Human suffering is an undesirable condition that should be eliminated through all possible means. The paper highlighted the strengths in the argument made by Singer. His premise that alleviating suffering is the moral thing to do is supported by utilitarianism.
Singer is also right in observing that the rich can afford to help the suffering without having to make huge sacrifices. In addition to this, the premise that a person should not enjoy his excess money is unfair since the individual is peter singer essay to enjoy the rewards of his labor.
While it can be agreed by all people that human suffering is undesirable and efforts should be made to eliminate it, the suggestions made by Singer are not the answer. Solutions that consider the rights and entitlement of the benefactor would be more appropriate and moral. Paul, peter singer essay, Minnesota,pp. Need a custom Essay sample written from scratch by professional specifically for you? certified writers online. Select a referencing style:.
We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. If you continue, we will assume that you agree to our Cookies Policy. Table of Contents. Learn More. You are free to use it peter singer essay research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly.
Removal Request, peter singer essay. If you are the copyright owner of this paper and no longer wish to have your work published on IvyPanda. Assisted Suicide Abortion's Pros and Cons. GET WRITING HELP. Cite This paper. Select a referencing style: Copy to Clipboard Copied! APA-6 MLA-8 Chicago N-B Chicago A-D Harvard. Reference IvyPanda. Work Cited ""Famine, Affluence, and Morality" by Peter Singer, peter singer essay. Bibliography IvyPanda. References IvyPanda.
Copy to Clipboard Copied! Check the price of your paper, peter singer essay. Stuck with your assignment? Do you need an essay to be done? How many pages words do you need? Let's see if we can help you! Yes Other assignment. Research Paper Report Case Study Assessment Discussion Board Post Other.
If you continue, we will assume that you agree to our Cookies Policy OK.
Famine, Affluence, and Morality - Peter Singer - Talks at Google
, time: 52:34Peter Singer Essays: Examples, Topics, Titles, & Outlines
?Argument: Peter Singer, “Famine, Affluence and Morality” Peter Singer begins his seminal essay “Famine, Affluence, and Morality” in writing about East Bengal, now Bangladesh, whose people had just suffered a terrible natural disaster. The situation he describes is one that could be told forty years later in the same words and same context, which is to state that little Jul 13, · Summary Of Peter Singer All Animals Are Equal Essay In Peter Singers All Animals Are Equal, he claims we should give the same respect the lives of non human animals as we give the lives of humans and that all animals human and non-human are in fact equal Why Vegan? () The Life You Can Save, 10th Anniversary Edition (). Utilitarianism: A Very Short Introduction (, with Katarzyna de Lazari-Radek). Ethics in the Real World: 82 Brief Essays on Things That Matter (). One World Now: The Ethics of Globalization (). The Most Good You Can Do: How Effective Altruism Is Changing Ideas About Living Ethically ()
No comments:
Post a Comment