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All 8 Flashcards — Distribution of wealth
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Question
Distribution of wealth — the key question?
Answer
What do the well-off owe the distant poor — is helping charity (optional) or duty (obligatory)?
Question
Singer's core principle?
Answer
If you can prevent something very bad without giving up anything nearly as important, you ought to do it.
Question
The drowning-child argument?
Answer
You'd save a drowning child even at the cost of ruined shoes; a donation has the same shape, so giving is a duty, not charity.
Question
'Famine, Affluence and Morality'?
Answer
Singer's essay arguing that giving to prevent distant suffering is a duty we can't skip, not optional charity.
Question
The 'too demanding' objection?
Answer
Taken strictly, Singer's duty never stops — it could demand you give until you're nearly as poor as those you help.
Question
The 'distance matters' objection?
Answer
A donation is less certain than the pond, and we may owe more to those close to us than to distant strangers.
Question
The strongest reply to Singer (Go further)?
Answer
Grant his core point but argue for a LIMIT — a strong duty to give a lot, not an unlimited one; argue 'how much?', not 'whether'.
Question
Charity vs duty?
Answer
Charity = a kind extra you may skip; duty = something you're obliged to do. The whole debate turns on which giving is.
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Full study notes for Distribution of wealth
Topic 4.3 hub
Applied ethics
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