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Homework answers / question archive / David Benatar argues that "being brought into existence is not a benefit but always a harm
David Benatar argues that "being brought into existence is not a benefit but always a harm." Why does he think this is so? What roles does self-deception play in all of this? Lastly, it has been argued that if Benatar is right, then there is little reason to refrain from committing suicide. How might Benatar respond to this claim?
Answer: David Benatar's approach to moral philosophy can be associated to nihilism and pessimism. In one of his famous philosophies he argues that, human being have the obligation not to create unhappy people and we don't have the obligation to create happy people, thus, "being brought into existence is not a benefit but always a harm." It means that he discourages procreation. A child created being happy is not a morally important reason to create them and an unhappy child created is a moral reason not to create them.
Linking this to the concept of suicide isn't exactly what Benatar is trying to say. What he imposes is the act not being done in the first place- procreation. Suicide is an act that is done after one was already created.
Step-by-step explanation
Though we differ in our schools of thought, I can see this philosophy as dangerous. We are all created and born with inherent rights to life, liberty and property. We are not bound by any moral or philosophical chains that would stop us from living the life we wanted.
