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Better Never to Have Been
- The Harm of Coming into Existence
- Narrated by: Dennis Kleinman
- Length: 7 hrs and 26 mins
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Summary
Most people believe that they were either benefited or at least not harmed by being brought into existence. Thus, if they ever do reflect on whether they should bring others into existence—rather than having children without even thinking about whether they should—they presume that they do them no harm. Better Never to Have Been challenges these assumptions. David Benatar argues that coming into existence is always a serious harm. Those who never exist cannot be deprived. However, by coming into existence one does suffer quite serious harms that could not have befallen one had one not come into existence. Drawing on the relevant psychological literature, the author shows that there are a number of well-documented features of human psychology that explain why people systematically overestimate the quality of their lives and why they are thus resistant to the suggestion that they were seriously harmed by being brought into existence. The author then argues for the "anti-natal" view—that it is always wrong to have children—and he shows that combining the anti-natal view with common pro-choice views about fetal moral status yield a "pro-death" view about abortion. Although counter-intuitive for many, that implication is defended, not least by showing that it solves many conundrums of moral theory about population.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
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- Anonymous User
- 19-05-23
Logically sound
Well structured book, make sure to read it with an open mind due to the inherently controversial nature of his conclusion.
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- jordan david crago
- 22-03-23
A compelling argument, but a bad conclusion
The recording is great quality and Kleinman reads the book with a slow, solemn tone which complements the book well. The book itself is a fairly challenging work of academic philosophy which calls for close attention and multiple readings to fully digest. The heart of the book is the second and third chapters, which present the two biggest arguments for the conclusion that procreation is unethical. The remaining chapters explore what this conclusion means for other areas of philosophy, such as abortion.
The asymmetry argument in chapter 2 is presented in a quite convoluted way, but the core of the argument is easy to understand. But it's so abstract that it's hard to regard it with anything more than intellectual interest. Instead, it's the poor quality of life argument in the third chapter which is actually emotionally and morally compelling, for Benatar does a great job of defending a view one finds in all major religions: the human condition is fundamentally tragic, fallen, and filled with suffering. Benatar points out that this is a radical position today, but it baffles me why because it seems obvious that there's more stress, worry, and sadness in life than joy and peace for most people.
Still, the antinatalist conclusion seems an overreaction to the problem of human suffering; firstly, because life's suffering can be coped with and one can live a (terrestrially) meaningful life in spite of and sometimes because of it, and secondly, because it's contingent and can be addressed by the progress of medicine, psychotherapy, and -- though this is less likely to occur -- more equitable social and political systems. It's also overly demanding and therefor ineffective, for even I -- one of the few who's likely to accept the tragic view of life Benatar presents -- wouldn't be willing to forfeit the right to be a parent with someone I love.
Nevertheless, Benatar's book is important and noble because it reminds us of the dreadful scale of human suffering and thus challenges us to take it more seriously through our moral philosophy. It's only by confronting problems that they can be addressed, and this is the fundamental problem with the delusion of philosophical optimism.
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2 people found this helpful