“Famine, Affluence, and Morality,” by Peter Singer Custom Essay

Explain singer’s argument
Present objections/ argument against
Defend (explain why the objection are wrong)

1. What are the key assumptions? Identify where they are justified in the article. Which assumption/premise is doing the most work for singer’s article?
2. At the bottom of the fifth paragraph singer make an argument by analogy, that we would help a drowning child if it only muddied out clothes. Argument by analogy relies on the strength of the analogy; are we comparing apples to apples or apples to oranges? How strong is the analogy?
3. What does singer mean when he says that “we should reach the level of marginal utility?” what is the distinction he draws between the weak and strong notion of this obligation? Does the difficulty of drawing this likely undermine its credibility? is the weak or strong notion more compelling?
4. How plausible is the distinction he draws around praiseworthiness? Is it true that we shouldn’t consider helping your neighbor or someone across the world any more praiseworthy if both take the same effort?