Read pages 218 to the middle of 232 and answer the following questions:
1. This edition of Singer's book is twenty years old, so the statistics on world poverty are certainly outdated. Look over
this website and summarize the current state of world poverty.
2. Singer presents five points in the discussion of whether or not failing to assist those in poverty is equivalent to murder.
For each point, summarize the objection, Singer's response to the objection, and where (between the two) your own opinion stands.
(a) There is a difference in motivation
(b) There is a difference in the difficulty of following the moral precept
(c) There is a difference in the certainty of the outcome
(d) There is a difference in the anonymity of those affected
(e) There is a difference in direct responsibility
3. What is your opinion of Singer's drawing a relationship between helping a child drowning in a pond and helping
a child in a distant country rise from poverty? These are clearly not similar human experiences, but are they morally
4. Do you agree with Singer's logical argument which begins on the bottom of page 230? If not, what are your objections?
If so, what objections do you expect others would make if you tried to convince them to contribute a significant fraction
of their income to anti-poverty organizations?