In 1972, Peter Singer published "Famine, Affluence and Morality," which rapidly
became one of the most widely discussed essays in applied ethics. Through this a
rticle, Singer presents his view that we have the same moral obligations to thos
e far away as we do to those close to us. He argues that choosing not to send li
fe saving money to starving people on the other side of the earth is the moral e
quivalent of neglecting to save drowning children because we prefer not to muddy
our shoes.
If we can help, we must-and any excuse is hypocrisy. Singer's ext
reme stand on the standard of giving has become a powerful topic of discussion i
n modern philosophy and continues to challenge people's attitudes towards extrem
e poverty. As Bill and Melinda Gates observe in their foreword, Singer's essay i
s as relevant today as it ever was.
