Revolutions in the West - Assignment Example

With reference to Singer’s views, this paper aims to critically analyze and give views as to what can be termed ethical and justified with regard to such questions. In the process of establishing whether we should give aid or not to the poor, some people feel that giving aid helps only in increasing the number of people in the world. The end result is that more people end up in poverty (Dower, 1991). This argument seems a selfish one as the proponents view it as an increase in the global ecological catastrophes.

When looked at empirically, then it would emerge that once basic developments are achieved in an individual’s life, population growth slows down (Dower, 1991). As well, being that global ecological dangers are connected to underdevelopment issues, affluence remains the only thing to be addressed (Dower, 1991). Whether this view would hold water with respect to giving aid to poorer countries and people, an analysis of Singer’s views would be critical. The question of whether wealthy people in affluent countries have a moral duty or not to help poor people in developing countries is a debate that Singer responds to by saying that we have an obligation to assist (Singer 172, 239).

Considering the example he gives concerning a baby trapped in a pond, his premise and conclusion stand out both controversial and uncontroversial. A better analysis of whether this conclusion holds water or not shows starts by first examining the point of view that Singer gives (Singer 172, 239). Singer argues that if it is in our power to prevent something bad from happening, we should go ahead and do so by sacrificing anything of comparable moral significance. This is one view that would win the opinion of consequentialists and on the other hand repel those of nonconsequatentialists (Singer 172, 240).

In his view, the conclusion he has can in a large way