Famine, Affluence, and Morality
Famine, Affluence, and Morality
Lisa Radden
PHI208: Ethics and Moral Reasoning Victor Kersey June 10, 2013
Famine, Affluence, and Morality In "Famine, Affluence, and Morality" Peter Singer main goal is to let people know how people are living in East Bengal. They are dying from lack of food, shelter, and medical care and all the deaths that are occurring in East Bengal, Peter’s goal is to try and get help for these people in East Bengal. We know that suffering is bad. Therefore, according to his principle, we must do our best to prevent situations such as this in Bengal where people are dying from lack of food, shelter and medical care, from happening (by donating money), without sacrificing anything comparably important. According to our book Deontological ethics "deontology" comes from the Greek word for "obligation" (or "duty"). Is it our duty or obligation to help those that are suffering because it is the moral and ethical thing to do? Singer believes Ethical the wealthy people can help the poor. For example, if a wealthy person sacrificed a $50 bottle of wine one time, he will not lose anything by doing this; it could save a life and feed a starving family. The wealthy can give a sufficient amount of money than it would help relieve those that are suffering. Morally it should be a natural act to want to help those that are less fortune then we are. He says, “The decisions and actions of human beings can prevent this kind of suffering.”Unfortunately, human beings have not made the necessary decision.” Singer also believes that we, as a society, have done little to help those in need and could actually contribute”. We are all living immoral lives by not contributing to the relief and prevention of famine. According; to Singer. “What matters is that each of us can minimize the
Lisa Radden
PHI208: Ethics and Moral Reasoning Victor Kersey June 10, 2013
Famine, Affluence, and Morality In "Famine, Affluence, and Morality" Peter Singer main goal is to let people know how people are living in East Bengal. They are dying from lack of food, shelter, and medical care and all the deaths that are occurring in East Bengal, Peter’s goal is to try and get help for these people in East Bengal. We know that suffering is bad. Therefore, according to his principle, we must do our best to prevent situations such as this in Bengal where people are dying from lack of food, shelter and medical care, from happening (by donating money), without sacrificing anything comparably important. According to our book Deontological ethics "deontology" comes from the Greek word for "obligation" (or "duty"). Is it our duty or obligation to help those that are suffering because it is the moral and ethical thing to do? Singer believes Ethical the wealthy people can help the poor. For example, if a wealthy person sacrificed a $50 bottle of wine one time, he will not lose anything by doing this; it could save a life and feed a starving family. The wealthy can give a sufficient amount of money than it would help relieve those that are suffering. Morally it should be a natural act to want to help those that are less fortune then we are. He says, “The decisions and actions of human beings can prevent this kind of suffering.”Unfortunately, human beings have not made the necessary decision.” Singer also believes that we, as a society, have done little to help those in need and could actually contribute”. We are all living immoral lives by not contributing to the relief and prevention of famine. According; to Singer. “What matters is that each of us can minimize the