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How to reject Benatar's asymmetry argument
1Centre for Professional & Applied Ethics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
Bioethics
|April 25, 2019
Summary
This paper critiques David Benatar's asymmetry argument for anti-natalism. It demonstrates that the argument's premises are false, rendering it unnecessary for the anti-natalist conclusion.
Area of Science:
- Philosophy
- Ethics
- Moral Philosophy
Background:
- David Benatar's asymmetry argument is a central justification for anti-natalism.
- The argument posits a moral asymmetry between the presence of suffering and happiness.
- Anti-natalism advocates against procreation based on the inherent suffering in life.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically re-evaluate David Benatar's asymmetry argument for anti-natalism.
- To present a structured refutation of the asymmetry argument's core premises.
- To assess the overall necessity and contribution of the asymmetry argument to Benatar's case.
Main Methods:
- Reconstruction of the asymmetry argument into its fundamental premises.
- Detailed examination and refutation of each premise in separate sections.
- Analysis of the relationship between the asymmetry argument and the quality of life argument.
Main Results:
- Each of the three main premises of the asymmetry argument is demonstrated to be false.
- The asymmetry argument is found to be unsuccessful in establishing the anti-natalist conclusion.
- The quality of life argument is identified as the primary driver of Benatar's anti-natalism.
Conclusions:
- The asymmetry argument is not only unsuccessful but also unnecessary for Benatar's anti-natalist stance.
- The burden of proof for anti-natalism rests on the quality of life argument, not the asymmetry argument.
- This analysis provides a philosophical framework for rejecting the asymmetry argument.
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