Is existence better than non-existence in your opinion?
David Benatar, author of a book titled Better Never to Have Been: The Harm of Coming into Existence, says that existing is a bad thing, mainly because the misery of experiencing unhappiness or pain overshadows any potential benefits that come along with that inevitable pain and suffering. He even goes as far as to claim that it is morally irresponsible to procreate, and bring future generations into existence since that inevitably they too will experience great pain and fear. Here is a more simplified version of Benater’s argument, and a brief critique of it. This is a more detailed argument on Benatar’s behalf.
There are critics of Benatar’s book however, and they have their own contentions to Benatar’s arguments. The biggest critique of non-existence being a good thing seems to be that what is considered ‘good’ and ‘bad’ are relative, and not absolute terms. Another contention is that we have at least some control over what happens in our lives. Here is a critique for a few of Benatar’s arguments.
Do you think that non-existence is better than existing in the first place?
Topic:
philosophy
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