Peter Singer’s Ethics Reviewed
PHI 103 Informal Logic
Instructor Mark Balto
November 17, 2014

Greed versus Morality
Singer’s article, famine, affluence, and morality uncover the reality of a person’s choice of greed or morals. The premise is a child in a shallow pond in distress with no parent or guardian in sight. An adult witnesses this distress and has to decide between ruining his/her expensive shoes and saving the child. This dilemma for most is simple, rescue the child. However, the test of morality intensifies when faced with the reality that the cost of the shoes could save a multitude of hungry children. Would the same individual give up the shoes or donate the cost of the shoes to save another life across the ocean.
Premises to Uphold Morality
We would all like to think that we would put aside human greed and opt for a good moral life. When face to face with a moral decision, witnessing a child in distress, morality wins. Much of the problem lies in the need for our brain to first hand witness the distress of a child. Seeing children starving on a television commercial does not always fulfill the need to put aside greed and allow morals to take over. Part of this may be trust in coordinators for these charitable organizations.
Convincing Argument Personally moved by the video, I decided to make changes in my own life. When I meet a homeless person on the side of the road or I see a need, I try to help in any way possible. This may