PHI 1102 Population Ethics Exam
Questions and Answers All
Correct
What is the concept of Prospective Beneficence Asymmetry? - Answer- It suggests that
we sometimes avoid bringing a child into existence due to concerns for the potential
child's welfare.
What moral reason might exist for having more children according to the Prospective
Beneficence Asymmetry? - Answer- If having children benefits them, there would be a
greater moral reason for many people to have more children.
What is the Retrospective Beneficence Asymmetry? - Answer- It posits that only
bringing someone into existence can be regretted for the sake of that person, unlike not
bringing someone into existence.
What is the concept of 'sour grapes' in relation to adaptive preferences? - Answer- It
refers to the phenomenon where individuals stop desiring unattainable goods, leading to
a change in their preferences.
What does 'sweet lemons' mean in the context of adaptive preferences? - Answer- It
describes how individuals may convince themselves that their undesirable
circumstances are actually good to cope with their situation.
How might the threshold for a minimally decent life be perceived differently? - Answer-
Disability activists argue it may be set too high, while others claim it is too low, affecting
perceptions of existence.
What is the significance of self-reported happiness according to Overall? - Answer- Self-
reported happiness is linked to factors that promote well-being, suggesting that positive
outlooks can enhance life quality.
What analogy does Benatar use to compare existence and non-existence? - Answer-
He compares the experience of getting sick and recovering (existence) versus never
getting sick (non-existence), arguing that the analogy fails because pleasure is more
than just recovery.
, What does Benatar assert about the harms of existence? - Answer- He asserts that
bringing someone into existence is harmful because it inevitably leads to various harms
without sufficient benefits.
What is the main question addressed in population ethics? - Answer- Is it good to have
children, and is it better to exist or not to exist?
What are the three main positions in population ethics? - Answer- Pro-natalism, neutro-
natalism/person-affecting, and anti-natalism.
What does pro-natalism advocate? - Answer- The belief that having children is morally
good.
What does anti-natalism argue? - Answer- That bringing someone into existence is
always a harm.
Who is David Benatar? - Answer- A prominent anti-natalist philosopher known for his
book 'Better Never To Have Been'.
What is the central thesis of Benatar's argument? - Answer- That it is better never to
have been born due to the inevitable suffering in life.
What is strong anti-natalism? - Answer- The view that bringing someone into existence
is always bad if that person will experience any suffering.
What is weak anti-natalism? - Answer- The view that bringing someone into existence is
bad due to the suffering they would experience in the actual world.
What does Benatar say about the harms of existence? - Answer- Everyone experiences
hardship, illness, and ultimately death, which are harms of existence.
What is the asymmetry between pleasure and pain according to Benatar? - Answer-
The presence of pain is bad, while the absence of pleasure is not bad unless someone
is deprived of it.
What is the asymmetry of procreational duties? - Answer- There is a duty to avoid
bringing suffering people into existence, but no duty to bring happy people into
existence.
What common assumption does Benatar challenge regarding existence? - Answer-
That being brought into existence is a benefit.
What does Benatar argue about the good things in life? - Answer- While good things
happen, they do not outweigh the inevitable harms of existence.
Questions and Answers All
Correct
What is the concept of Prospective Beneficence Asymmetry? - Answer- It suggests that
we sometimes avoid bringing a child into existence due to concerns for the potential
child's welfare.
What moral reason might exist for having more children according to the Prospective
Beneficence Asymmetry? - Answer- If having children benefits them, there would be a
greater moral reason for many people to have more children.
What is the Retrospective Beneficence Asymmetry? - Answer- It posits that only
bringing someone into existence can be regretted for the sake of that person, unlike not
bringing someone into existence.
What is the concept of 'sour grapes' in relation to adaptive preferences? - Answer- It
refers to the phenomenon where individuals stop desiring unattainable goods, leading to
a change in their preferences.
What does 'sweet lemons' mean in the context of adaptive preferences? - Answer- It
describes how individuals may convince themselves that their undesirable
circumstances are actually good to cope with their situation.
How might the threshold for a minimally decent life be perceived differently? - Answer-
Disability activists argue it may be set too high, while others claim it is too low, affecting
perceptions of existence.
What is the significance of self-reported happiness according to Overall? - Answer- Self-
reported happiness is linked to factors that promote well-being, suggesting that positive
outlooks can enhance life quality.
What analogy does Benatar use to compare existence and non-existence? - Answer-
He compares the experience of getting sick and recovering (existence) versus never
getting sick (non-existence), arguing that the analogy fails because pleasure is more
than just recovery.
, What does Benatar assert about the harms of existence? - Answer- He asserts that
bringing someone into existence is harmful because it inevitably leads to various harms
without sufficient benefits.
What is the main question addressed in population ethics? - Answer- Is it good to have
children, and is it better to exist or not to exist?
What are the three main positions in population ethics? - Answer- Pro-natalism, neutro-
natalism/person-affecting, and anti-natalism.
What does pro-natalism advocate? - Answer- The belief that having children is morally
good.
What does anti-natalism argue? - Answer- That bringing someone into existence is
always a harm.
Who is David Benatar? - Answer- A prominent anti-natalist philosopher known for his
book 'Better Never To Have Been'.
What is the central thesis of Benatar's argument? - Answer- That it is better never to
have been born due to the inevitable suffering in life.
What is strong anti-natalism? - Answer- The view that bringing someone into existence
is always bad if that person will experience any suffering.
What is weak anti-natalism? - Answer- The view that bringing someone into existence is
bad due to the suffering they would experience in the actual world.
What does Benatar say about the harms of existence? - Answer- Everyone experiences
hardship, illness, and ultimately death, which are harms of existence.
What is the asymmetry between pleasure and pain according to Benatar? - Answer-
The presence of pain is bad, while the absence of pleasure is not bad unless someone
is deprived of it.
What is the asymmetry of procreational duties? - Answer- There is a duty to avoid
bringing suffering people into existence, but no duty to bring happy people into
existence.
What common assumption does Benatar challenge regarding existence? - Answer-
That being brought into existence is a benefit.
What does Benatar argue about the good things in life? - Answer- While good things
happen, they do not outweigh the inevitable harms of existence.
