1. Better Never To Have Been - David Benatar

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Uploaded by on Oct 6, 2010

David Benatar is a professor of philosophy and the head of the Department of Philosophy of the University of Cape Town in Cape Town, South Africa. He is known for his advocacy of antinatalism in his book "Better Never to Have Been: The Harm of Coming Into Existence", in which he argues that coming into existence is a serious harm, regardless of the feelings of the existing being once brought into existence, and that, as a consequence, it is always morally wrong to create more sentient beings.

http://web.uct.ac.za/depts/philosophy/staff_benatar_betternevertohavebeen.htm

This book argues for a number of related views: (1) Coming into existence is always a serious harm. (2) Procreation is always wrong. (3) It is wrong not to abort foetuses at the earlier stages of gestation. (4) It would be better if, as a result of there being no new people, humanity became extinct. Although these conclusions are antagonistic to common and deeply held intuitions, the author argues that these intuitions are unreliable and thus cannot be used to refute the book's grim-sounding conclusions.

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  • David Benatar deserves a Nobel Peace Prize for writing this book. This book should be a number one best seller, How do we get this book on Oprah's book club list?

  • I just watch Steel Magnolias and Julia Robert's character had diabetes. Her doctor advised her not to have children because it would put too much strain on her kidneys and could kill her. She wanted a baby anyway because she said it would make her "immortal." Needless to say, she had the baby and died a year later, I know it's just a movie, but it shows how truly selfish breeders are. Now a child has to grow up without a mother just because this selfish bitch wanted to have a baby.

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  • This is my view as well. I couldn't believe that someone else on earth thought the way I did. I decided on a very young age, kids were not right for me. I'm, 43 now and feel much stronger about that than ever before. All lives end in pain and suffering. Life is about suffering. If I could push a button to sterilize the entire human race, I would. Only then, would peace be achieved and suffering ended. Humans not only suffer, but they are the vectors for suffering for both man and animal.

  • This man has put into words my feelings for why I will never have children. More people really should listen to this and read this book.

  • Having a baby is THE MOST selfish act a person could do. From the sex act of the start of life, to the reasons people breed-every single thing is Selfish and satisfies wants and urges of the parents. It is instinctive, nothing more. People are not sacred

  • True-life is full of deprivation. Most people are just not big enough to accept this philosophy. So many parents should never had a child and there are so many adoptable children out there

  • @QuestionForAtheists A question for theists: why don't you abort your children to send to them to heaven faster?

  • @QuestionForAtheists Genuinely hell-believing theists have even more to answer for than atheists in terms of their procreation as they are creating new human beings who they believe run a significant risk of being tortured for eternity after they die.

  • A question for humanity. In a world where there's no proof of God's existence or of life after death; how will you explain to your children why you brought them into the world and why they will have to die?

  • @Clear404

    Lol. Thank you.

  • @GohanMH1 Ah, I see - you're a homophobe.  u realise a recent study showed that 80% of homophobes have homosexual feelings? Yep, true. So you probably hate yourself. Good. You should, you nasty bigotted little shit.

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