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Better to exist: a reply to Benatar.

S D Baum1

  • 1Department of Geography, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA. sbaum@psu.edu

Journal of Medical Ethics
|December 2, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This paper examines David Benatar's argument that bringing people into existence is inherently wrong. It critiques the core concepts of asymmetry and the original position, ultimately rejecting Benatar's controversial conclusion.

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Area of Science:

  • Moral Philosophy
  • Ethics of Existence
  • Antinatalism

Background:

  • David Benatar's book "Better Never to Have Been" posits that non-existence is always preferable to existence.
  • A recent scholarly exchange between Doyal and Benatar focused on Benatar's antinatalist thesis and its reliance on the concept of the 'original position'.
  • Benatar's argument hinges on perceived asymmetries between benefit and harm, and between existence and non-existence.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To expand the philosophical discussion on the 'original position' as applied to the ethics of procreation.
  • To critically analyze the asymmetries central to Benatar's antinatalist argument.
  • To provide a counter-argument that challenges and rejects Benatar's claim that procreation is morally impermissible.

Main Methods:

  • Philosophical argumentation and conceptual analysis.
  • In-depth examination of the 'original position' thought experiment.
  • Deconstruction of the asymmetry principles used in antinatalist ethics.

Main Results:

  • The discussion of the 'original position' is extended, revealing potential weaknesses in its application to Benatar's argument.
  • The asymmetries between benefit/harm and existence/non-existence, as presented by Benatar, are critically evaluated.
  • Evidence is presented to demonstrate that Benatar's bold claim can be logically refuted.

Conclusions:

  • Benatar's antinatalist thesis, despite its provocative nature, is philosophically vulnerable.
  • The foundational concepts of the 'original position' and asymmetry arguments require further scrutiny in the context of procreation ethics.
  • This analysis provides grounds for rejecting the conclusion that individuals should not be brought into existence.