David Benatar

David Benatar

David Benatar is a South African philosopher, best known for his advocacy of antinatalism, a philosophical position that assigns a negative value to birth. He is a professor of philosophy and the head of the Department of Philosophy at the University of Cape Town.

Early Life and Education

David Benatar was born in South Africa. He pursued his higher education at the University of Cape Town, where he completed his undergraduate and postgraduate studies in philosophy. His academic career has been primarily based at the same institution, where he has developed his philosophical ideas and contributed to various fields of ethics and philosophy.

Philosophical Work

Benatar is most renowned for his book Better Never to Have Been: The Harm of Coming into Existence, published in 2006. In this work, he argues that coming into existence is always a serious harm. He bases this argument on what he calls the "asymmetry" between the presence of pain and the absence of pleasure. According to Benatar, while the presence of pain is bad, the absence of pain is good even if that good is not enjoyed by anyone. Conversely, while the presence of pleasure is good, the absence of pleasure is not bad unless there is someone for whom this absence is a deprivation.

Antinatalism

Benatar's antinatalist position suggests that it is morally wrong to bring new people into existence because of the inevitable suffering they will experience. He argues that non-existence is preferable to existence because it avoids the harms of life. This controversial stance has sparked significant debate and discussion in philosophical circles and beyond.

Other Works

In addition to his work on antinatalism, Benatar has written on a variety of topics in applied ethics and moral philosophy. His other notable works include The Second Sexism: Discrimination Against Men and Boys and Debating Procreation: Is It Wrong to Reproduce? co-authored with David Wasserman.

Criticism and Reception

Benatar's views have been both influential and controversial. Critics argue that his antinatalist position is overly pessimistic and neglects the potential for positive experiences in life. Supporters, however, praise his rigorous logical approach and his willingness to tackle difficult ethical questions.

Influence

Benatar's work has influenced discussions in bioethics, environmental ethics, and population ethics. His ideas have been discussed in various academic journals and have also reached a wider audience through media coverage and public lectures.

See Also

• Antinatalism
• Ethics
• Philosophy of Suffering

References

• Benatar, David. Better Never to Have Been: The Harm of Coming into Existence. Oxford University Press, 2006.
• Benatar, David. The Second Sexism: Discrimination Against Men and Boys. Wiley-Blackwell, 2012.
• Benatar, David, and Wasserman, David. Debating Procreation: Is It Wrong to Reproduce?. Oxford University Press, 2015.

External Links

• Department of Philosophy at the University of Cape Town
• Better Never to Have Been on Oxford Scholarship Online