1. Read: Peter Singer: “The Singer Solution to World Poverty”, Peter Singer: “Famine Affluence and Morality”, Ayn Rand: “The Ethics of Emergencies”
2.
a)In no more than 300 words: Why does Singer argue that we are worse than Bob in his essay “The Singer Solution to World Poverty”?
b)In no more than 300 words: what constitutes an authentic, well-lived life according to Rand?
3.
Make a comment on each essay which are related to question 2. It should be like a paragraph. each comment
a)
Singer believes that we are all like Bob or even worse, because we also can save lives of many dying children around the world by donating to various organizations, but we don’t. The fact that Bob saved his Bugatti and not the child doesn’t make him worse than us who can save a dying child, but we don’t since we are too busy accumulating money for our own future. We go about our business everyday when we know that in many parts of the world, children are suffering, and lives can be saved by donating some money to organizations like UNICEF and Oxfam. Also, I totally agree with Singer that if we are not donating to any organization on consistent basis, then we are definitely not trying to save lives when we certainly can and hence we are just as bad as Bob or even worse, because we do not even have a Bugatti at stake. Its not like we are donating our entire life’s savings as Bob would have, had he lost the Bugatti, but just need to send a small amount and I feel if $200 is too big amount for you, then send $20 each month and the more consistent you are, the more contribution you can make towards saving a child’s life.
b)
Amy Rand in her essay “Ethics of Emergencies” presents an interesting picture of altruism and takes a rather unusual stand on man’s primary duties. Rand feels that man’s primary duties are to live well, earn whatever he can through knowledge and work, and create a society that allows everyone to work and earn their share and not exactly to help others constantly. I agree with Rand that a man must help others, but his primary duty is to help himself and his loved ones. He cannot sacrifice his own child to save ten other children and neither should he. He must instead try to save his own child’s life and if he can somehow help other children, then that is wonderful, but that is not his primary purpose in life. He must therefore first try to live according to rules of society, earn through hard work and take care of himself and his loved ones. He must however make sure his actions are in no way hurting the society. Amy doesn’t mention how man should then help others if total sacrifice is out of question. I believe that man must be willing to help others when he can. While he is trying to save his loved ones and ones he has brought them to safety, he should lend a helping hand to others who might be within his reach. If he can, that’s great, but if he cannot, then he must not fret for he was at least able to save the one child whose life should have meant the most to him and also because that child is the only being he is responsible and accountable for.
4. (4 pages)
The topic:
You love listening to music. It’s your true passion. You were naturally thrilled when the newest generation ipod came out. The player promises (and early reviews have confirmed it succeeds) to reproduce sound at a quality indistinguishable from that of compact discs. You gladly shoved your older ipod in the drawer and shelled out $400 for the new machine. But when your father discovers the old ipod in the drawer he is puzzled: “did you really have to upgrade? Isn’t there something better to do with all that money?”
How would Peter Singer respond to his question?
How would Ayn Rand respond?
What would you say to all three of them?
Please use at least 4 quotes from (each) the Singer and Rand readings.
Material:
1. Peter Singer: “The Singer Solution to World Poverty”
Available here:
http://www.nytimes.com/1999/09/05/magazine/the-singer-solution-to-world-poverty.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm
2. Peter Singer: “Famine Affluence and Morality”
Attached
3. Ayn Rand: “The Ethics of Emergencies”
Attached
Use the order calculator below and get started! Contact our live support team for any assistance or inquiry.
[order_calculator]