Analysis Of Peter Singer s Argument On Famine, Affluence,...

I’m a strong believer in that anyone can make their own choices in life. There is no such thing as â€Å"moral obligation† in my books, however there does exist â€Å"courtesy† or â€Å"kind-heartedness.† Peter Singer’s argument regarding famine, affluence, and morality is, in my opinion, strongly influenced by sympathetic and empathetic feelings based on observations in a still developing country. In a sense, his reasoning is subjective and biased because he seems to focus only on the problem, and not the circumstances that could have prevented such problems from the beginning. I will elaborate on some of the loopholes in his arguments, and further clarify why the more fortunate people (in terms of wealth) should NOT be morally obligated to help the poor, rather they should have the choice of being courteous or kind, and they should have the freedom to spend the money they worked so hard for according to their own agenda. To start, I would like to establish that suffering and death from lack of food and other necessities is indeed a bad thing. There is no counter-argument to that statement. However, the problem lies in the second and third premises, which states that â€Å"(2) if it is in our power to prevent something bad from happening, then we have a moral duty to do it; (3) therefore, we have a moral duty to help the poor.† According to Singer, the second premise is comprised of a strong and weak argument. The strong argument states that the wealthy people should help the poor people at aShow MoreRelatedEssay on Duty versus Charity: Why a Distinction is Essential1256 Words   |  6 PagesIn the late 1960’s and into the 1970’s, the South Asian region of East Bengal (then East Pakistan, now the country of Bangladesh) was undergoing a severe famine, due to rampant poverty, a civil war and frequent cyclones. The lack of overseas help to this impoverished region was probably what triggered Peter Singer to write the article Famine, Affluence and Morality, wherein he claims that world hunger and famine can be prevented and possibly eradicated if everyone in the wealthy nations did theirRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesStreet Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122 www.temple.edu/tempress Copyright  © 2010 by Temple University All rights reserved Published 2010 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Essays on twentieth century history / edited by Michael Peter Adas for the American Historical Association. p. cm.—(Critical perspectives on the past) Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 978-1-4399-0269-1 (cloth : alk. paper)—ISBN 978-1-4399-0270-7 (paper : alk. paper)—ISBN 978-1-4399-0271-4 (electronic)