Skip to content
Carmelics
TopicsThinkersChangesContributorsLoading account…

    Carmelics

    A reasoning platform. Break down any belief into clear reasons, explore both sides, and weigh the evidence honestly.

    Navigate

    • Topics
    • Search
    • Recent Changes
    • Contribute
    • How It Works
    • Glossary
    • Thinkers
    • Contributors
    • About
    • Statistics
    • Terms
    • Privacy

    Database

    Statements
    —
    Perspectives
    —
    Topics
    —

    Press ? for keyboard shortcuts

    LoyalLoyalJusticeJustice
    Made withinDC&Austin
    Statements
    321,452
    Perspectives
    108,905
    Topics
    42
    Bringing a person into existence can be justified even th... — Carmelics
    Home/Bioethics
    HistoryEditSee Inverse

    Bringing a person into existence can be justified even though it involves imposing harms on that person, because existence is a greater good that outweighs those harms.

    BioethicsConsequentialism
    ?Rate how convincing each reason is below to see the overall strength.
    1 reason for
    2 reasons against

    Reasons For

    1 perspective
    Reason for
    ?
    • 1.An evil or harm can be justified when it is a necessary condition of a greater good.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.Saving a person's life justifies breaking a leg as a necessary condition of that greater good.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 3.Bringing a life into existence is a greater good that can similarly justify incidental harms.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Reasons Against

    2 perspectives
    Reason against 1 of 2
    ?
    • 1.Non-identity prevents comparing existence to non-existence: the harmed person in existence is not the same individual who would exist without the harm.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.The life-saving analogy fails because the broken leg victim exists prior to and independent of the harm-causing act, unlike the person brought into existence.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 3.Without a coherent pre-existing subject who is made better off, 'existence as a greater good' cannot function as a justificatory counterweight to imposed harms.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Reason against 2 of 2
    ?
    • 1.Benatar's asymmetry argument holds that the absence of pain is good even when there is no subject to enjoy that absence, while the absence of pleasure is only bad if someone is deprived of it.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.If this asymmetry obtains, then the harms imposed by bringing a person into existence cannot be offset by goods, because non-existence already avoids those harms without loss to any actual subject.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 3.A justification that appeals to existence as a net good therefore begs the question by assuming a symmetric weighing that the asymmetry thesis directly denies.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Sign in or register to share your perspective on this statement.

    Next step

    Based on where you are in your exploration

    Strongest counterpoint
    Explore the most compelling reason on the other side.

    Topics

    BioethicsConsequentialism

    Connections

    1 topic

    Justice & Punishment2 linked

    Related

    A justification that appeals to existence as a net good therefore begs the quest...An evil or harm can be justified when it is a necessary condition of a greater g...Benatar's asymmetry argument holds that the absence of pain is good even when th...Bringing a life into existence is a greater good that can similarly justify inci...
    +5 moreShow less
    If this asymmetry obtains, then the harms imposed by bringing a person into exis...Non-identity prevents comparing existence to non-existence: the harmed person in...Saving a person's life justifies breaking a leg as a necessary condition of that...The life-saving analogy fails because the broken leg victim exists prior to and ...Without a coherent pre-existing subject who is made better off, 'existence as a ...

    Similar

    Bringing a life into existence is a greater good that can similarly ju...89%An evil or harm can be justified when it is a necessary condition of a...85%Conduct that sacrifices happiness in a particular case is justified on...81%No justifying good exists for Hume to risk causing despair in others.80%

    Source

    AI-extracted1/3 agreementValid
    SEP: parenthood
    View source passageHide passage
    Feinberg (1992) compares situations like the Marie and Sri cases with cases in which someone is harmed in the course of being saved from a greater harm (e.g., his leg is broken while his life is being saved). In both cases an evil or harm is justified in virtue of the fact that it is a necessary condition of a greater good—in the one case saving a person’s life, in the other case bringing a life into existence. Shiffrin (1999), however, holds that harming someone to save them from a greater harm
    Extraction notes

    Validity: Extracted via Max plan + API grounding/validity checks

    Details

    Type
    claim
    Perspectives
    3 (1 for, 2 against)
    Edits
    1 edit