I’m not sure I agree that “let-die” situations arise less often than “kill” situations. It seems that every moment you have disposable income (i.e. more than you and yours need to survive) involves a choice between saving someone’s life and not saving anyone’s life.
And yes, if it makes sense to classify what I’m doing right now as choosing not to avert avoidable deaths, it follows that my lifestyle is morally worse (from a consequentialist perspective) than that of a poor murderer.
Thank you for pointing out this argument.
I’m not sure I agree that “let-die” situations arise less often than “kill” situations. It seems that every moment you have disposable income (i.e. more than you and yours need to survive) involves a choice between saving someone’s life and not saving anyone’s life.
(nods) That’s fair.
And yes, if it makes sense to classify what I’m doing right now as choosing not to avert avoidable deaths, it follows that my lifestyle is morally worse (from a consequentialist perspective) than that of a poor murderer.