Peter Singer's Essay on Morality

[Razard86]

https://www.givingwhatwecan.org/en-US/get-involved/videos-books-and-essays/famine-affluence-and-morality-peter-singer

Peter Singer wrote an essay on his description of morality and it is an interesting read. I have lived interestingly in my own personal life similarly to what he expresses in his essay but I am not sure I entirely agree with the way he frames his argument. But I do agree with the premise that you can certainly make arguments of excess spending on luxuries as a barrier to relief spending and changing the moral view of societies on this point could create more global help. But I would counter his argument about there being a lot of people doing well financially in "well developed" nations.

38% of the population in the United States earn less than $30,000. This includes: 

51% of workers

40% of workers who earn less than $20,000

13% of workers who earn less than $5,000

50% of people older than 15 who earn less than $30,000

The 2023 poverty guidelines for a family of four is $30,000. The federal poverty line for a family of four is $24,250 and the line for a family of three is $20,090. 11.4% of Americans live below the poverty line. This includes any 1-2 family household that makes less than $20,000 per year or any 3-4 family household that makes less than $30,000 per year.

So its not such a clear cut shame on you for living in the "well developed" nation of America and not donating charity. A significant amount of Americans need a charity or go fundme themselves. Other than that his paper is an interesting read.

[DocWatts]

Despite his earlier essays on the subject, in his actual advocacy of effective altruism, Peter Singer clearly puts much more of the onus for charitable giving on affluent people than on someone living in the States making $30k a year. 

In his book on effective altruism, The Life You Can Save, he recommends progressive giving guidelines that scale with income (similar to how income taxes scale with income), which starts at around %1 for someone who makes above $40k a year. For my part, this seems very reasonable. 

 

Edited October 20, 2023 by DocWatts

[Razard86]

On 10/20/2023 at 5:58 PM, DocWatts said:

Despite his earlier essays on the subject, in his actual advocacy of effective altruism, Peter Singer clearly puts much more of the onus for charitable giving on affluent people than on someone living in the States making $30k a year. 

In his book on effective altruism, The Life You Can Save, he recommends progressive giving guidelines that scale with income (similar to how income taxes scale with income), which starts at around %1 for someone who makes above $40k a year. For my part, this seems very reasonable. 

 

Thanks man I appreciate your feedback and thanks for educating me on something I didn't know I really appreciate this!

[DocWatts]

23 hours ago, Razard86 said:

Thanks man I appreciate your feedback and thanks for educating me on something I didn't know I really appreciate this!

You're welcome.

For what it's worth I think that the intuitions behind Singer's ethical philosophy are sound, but of course just like any other ethical intuition it can become problematic if taken to an extreme, or if absolutized into a one size fits all solution for solving the world's problems.