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Famine, Affluence, & Mortality

In: Philosophy and Psychology

Submitted By bsb5258
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“Famine, Affluence, & Mortality” – Peter Singer
Shelly Fowler
PHI208 – Ethics & Moral Reasoning
Instructor Robert Vaughan
May 13, 2013

“Famine, Affluence, & Mortality” – Peter Singer Singer spoke about how this South Asian territory of Bengal was suffering from starvation. He sheds light on the devastating state of the Bengali people who were then known as refugees. The pressure is put on the reader to acknowledge not only the people who around you who needs help, but to assist people who you may not ever come in contact with as well. If the reader had not ever heard of the Bengal Relief Fund, they definitely left with the mindset of making a change to help these people whom they may never see in their lives. There were a few counter arguments that Singer faced within the reading. One was how wealthy countries should change their point of view in helping cripple and famine third world countries. He wanted to create a sense of urgency and loyalty to these people by shedding light on their lack of food, shelter, and medical supplies. Rich countries should take some form of accountability in helping these people even if it means they have to cut back on some of their own fibulas spending habits. Taking care of our own neighbor and forgetting about people whom we cannot see nor touch should be a thought process of the past. Our societies focus on the luxuries in life while we should be focusing on saving a life. Another counter argument Singer spoke upon was how we as a people are morally obligated to help those in need. “The charitable man may be praised, but the man who is not charitable is not condemned” (Singer, 1972, p. 232). Singer stressed how important it is to donate to charities and how we as humans should reflect on our own spending habits. Making a change as to not getting a new outfit or car and donating that money could go a long

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