Peter Singer: "Famine, Affluence, and Morality"

I.  Singer’s Main Aim

Singer tries to show that we, in affluent countries like the U.S., have a moral obligation to give far more than we actually do in international aid for famine relief, disaster relief, etc. He thinks that we need to drastically alter our way of life in order to help others.

II.  The argument for international aid:

1.    “Suffering and death from lack of food, shelter, and medical care are bad” (231).  

2.    General principle (moderate version): “[I]f it is in our power to prevent something bad from happening, without thereby sacrificing anything morally significant, we ought, morally, to do it.” (231). 

3.    I can prevent people dying from starvation by giving more money to famine relief than I do.  [Implicit premise].

4.    By giving more money to famine relief than I do, I would not be sacrificing anything morally significant.  [Implicit premise]. 

5.    Therefore, I should give more to famine relief than I do.

III. The General Principle (Moderate Version)

Drowning child example (231). Singer simply calls it an "application" of the principle, but it has been widely construed to provide support for the principle.

The unimportance of proximity/distance (232).

The unimportance of their being multiple agents who could but do not help (232-233).

IV. Duty and Charity

Our current way of thinking:

duty

beyond the call of duty

it's wrong not to do it

it's good to do it, but not wrong to refrain from doing it

what's morally required

what's charitable

refraining from murder

giving to famine relief (until one is sacrificing something morally significant)

According to Singer, we need to revise drastically our way of thinking. Giving to famine relief should be thought of as a duty, as wrong not to do, as morally required, and so forth.

V.  Stronger version vs. more moderate version of the general principle

Moderate version: “[I]f it is in our power to prevent something bad from happening, without thereby sacrificing anything morally significant, we ought, morally, to do it.” (231)

Strong version, which Singer favors: If it is in our power to prevent something bad from happening, without thereby causing something worse to occur, we ought, morally, to do it. (based on 241)

 

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