Peter Singer\'s \"The Singer Solution World Poverty\"

¶ … Peter Singer's "The Singer Solution World Poverty"

Peter Albert David Singer, an Australian philosopher is serving as a professor of Bioethics at Princeton University and laureate Professor at the Center for applied Philosophy and Public Ethics at the University of Melbourne. His specialization is in applied ethics and his approach on ethical issues is based on secular, preference utilitarian perspective. Singer is considered as the most controversial ethicist. In his book "Singer's Solution to World Poverty," he has tried to present hypothetical situations each of which displaying a moral stature and inhuman side of the human nature. These hypothetical situations were, however very close to the practical life experience and a symbolic representation of moral dilemmas which society member's goes through. Nevertheless, I don't hold all these hypothetical situations to represent inhumane element of man's nature. Morality, ethical perspective and social responsibility are all considered as man's duty when living in a society yet these are relative concepts which can't be imposed on anyone.

The first hypothetical situation is taken from the Brazilian film "Central Station" in which Dora named retired school teacher earns her living by sitting on the station and writing letters for illiterate people. She was given the opportunity of earning $1,000. This money can change her quality of life and will make her enjoy some bounties of life which she can't afford with the current earning. The morality of this earning is from assessing the sources of income and its purpose. She has been asked to provide a street boy for adoption. Dora did as she was asked for and receives her amount. She has spent some of the money on buying a new TV set. Later it was disclosed in the news that the boy was too old for adoption and the real motive behind it was to sell the organs for money. Dora then decided to save the child by risking her own. This situation has awaken the human soul and teaches a lesson of not being materialistic to that extend that your actions risk the life of others no matter it's just a street boy, every life is important.

If Dora wouldn't have helped the boy escape, her reaction would have been criticized by masses in the society. It would have been morally controversial act because she deserves to enjoy the benefits of life and better quality of living but not on the expense of taking innocent life or harming other person's right of living. Getting the opportunity of good living enjoyed by each citizen and adopting illegal ways to enjoy better living are two different aspects. The former is morally and ethically correct but the later portrays the dark side of society that gives birth to injustice, violence and brutality in society.

With this exemplary situation, author tries to invoke the concept of charity and donation in the American Society. To some extend I agree with the authors notion of charity and donation because it is healthy for economic well being of the unprivileged segment of society. Nonetheless, it is on personal discretion to make charity of what amount, to whom and when or how frequent. Realizing others pain and their miseries and helping them in such situation are to a major extend contributing factor in the welfare of society and building good habits in oneself. The power of giving has to great extend created positive inspiration in society. But fixing the amount of charity to certain proportion like 1/4th or 1/3rd of the income is not justifiable because people have their own priorities, their needs to spend and their needs to save. The act of philanthropy depends on person's willingness to invest in charity not on the social benchmarks or standard proportion.

The second hypothetical situation is taken from the philosopher Peter Unger's book "Living high and Letting Die." This literature is about a Man named Bob who has spend all his saving to buy a luxurious and unique car, a Bugatti. He was once faced with the dilemma of saving a child or his car from the railway track and he choose to save his car as it was very dear to him and let go the life of young boy. This story like the previous one also trickles down to the concept of materiality and lack of charity in American Society.