PHL275H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 13: Famine Relief, 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake And Tsunami, Tv Tonight
Document Summary
Contrast w/ normative ethical theory more focused on particular problems rather than general principles. Singer article prompted by east bengal famine of 1971, now bangladesh. South asian tsunami of several christmases ago. In general, we have a duty to give a lot to famine relief but article offers both strong & weak conclusion (703) Strong we ought to give until we reach the level of a bengali refugee. Weaker conclusion we ought to give a lot more than we do now. Elements of utilitarianism (much of) consequentialism + hedonism + impartiality. 1) hedonism suffering is bad (696) Singer doesn"t say that nothing else is bad, but doesn"t consider anything else. To level of bengali refugee) only by comparing suffering from theirs (703) Seems to assume hedonism or maybe a desire-fulfillment theory can go w/ utilitarianism. Argument primarily about outcome of our action. How much suffering results for them vs for us.