Exam 14: If You Want to Die Later, Then Why Dont You Want to Have Been Born Earlier

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The deprivation view of the badness of death is the idea that death is bad because it deprives us of the goods and experiences that we would have had if we had continued to live. This view suggests that the badness of death is based on the loss of future opportunities and experiences.

The Symmetry Argument is an argument that challenges the deprivation view of the badness of death. It posits that if the deprivation view is true, then it should also be bad to not have been born earlier, as this would have deprived us of the goods and experiences we could have had if we had been born earlier. However, most people do not consider the non-existence before birth to be bad in the same way that they consider death to be bad. Therefore, the Symmetry Argument is supposed to provide reason to reject deprivationism.

Timmerman's argument against the Symmetry Argument is that the non-existence before birth is not bad because there is no subject who is deprived of goods and experiences. In contrast, death is bad because it involves the loss of goods and experiences for a subject who has already existed. Timmerman argues that this crucial difference undermines the Symmetry Argument and supports the deprivation view of the badness of death.

Timmerman's argument is sound because it highlights the important distinction between non-existence before birth and death. Non-existence before birth does not involve any deprivation for a subject, whereas death does. This supports the idea that the badness of death is based on the deprivation of goods and experiences.

Timmerman argues for an asymmetry with respect to late-births and early-deaths, suggesting that early-deaths are worse than late-births because early-deaths involve the loss of goods and experiences for a subject who has already existed, whereas late-births do not involve any deprivation for a subject. Whether or not we should accept this asymmetry depends on our ethical and philosophical beliefs. Some may argue that all forms of non-existence are equally bad, while others may agree with Timmerman's asymmetry based on the distinction between non-existence before birth and death. Ultimately, the acceptance of this asymmetry is a matter of personal perspective and philosophical reasoning.

Correct Answer:

Answered by Examlex AI Copilot

The deprivation view of the badness of death is the idea that death is bad because it deprives a person of the goods and experiences they would have had if they had continued to live. This view suggests that the badness of death is based on the loss of future opportunities and experiences.

The Symmetry Argument is an argument that challenges the deprivation view by pointing out a supposed inconsistency in its reasoning. It argues that if the deprivation view is true, then we should also consider the period before a person's birth as equally bad, since it deprives them of the goods and experiences they would have had if they had been born earlier. This argument is supposed to provide reason to reject deprivationism by showing that it leads to an unreasonable conclusion.

The Impossibility Solution to the Symmetry Argument is a response to this challenge. It suggests that it is impossible to be deprived of the goods and experiences before one's birth because there is no subject to be deprived at that time. In other words, the non-existence of a person before their birth means that they cannot be deprived of anything during that time.

This solution is defended by pointing out that the concept of deprivation requires a subject who is being deprived, and since there is no subject before a person's birth, there can be no deprivation. Therefore, the badness of death is not symmetrical to the non-existence before birth.

Whether this solution is satisfactory is a matter of debate. Some may find it convincing because it addresses the supposed inconsistency in the deprivation view and provides a clear explanation for why the period before birth is not considered equally bad. However, others may still find it unsatisfactory because it relies on the concept of non-existence, which is a difficult and contentious philosophical concept. Ultimately, the satisfaction with this solution may depend on one's philosophical perspective and beliefs about the nature of existence and deprivation.