LifeSiteNews has just published a story containing, to my mind, the surest sign of a decadent culture. 

The chair of the Department of Philosophy at the University of Cape Town, David Benatar, has pubished a book, “Better To Never Have Been: The Harm of Coming Into Existence.” 

The basic argument is this:  Human existence necessarily contains suffering, therefore it is better not to exist.

My response to Benatar is as follows:  Since when did they let college freshmen become tenured professors of philosophy, much less chair an entire department?

But, there is more. Our favorite Princeton professor — just kidding! — Peter Singer agrees with Benatar.  

“To bring into existence someone who will suffer is, Benatar argues, to harm that person, but to bring into existence someone who will have a good life is not to benefit him or her,” explains Singer. 

Have you ever read a statement more contrary to reason this this?  I don’t think I can recall one.  

To begin from the premise that the experience of suffering, which is an incredibly broad and complex concept, by the way, negates the desirability of human existence is not even nihilism, it’s just plain stupid.  

Benatar and Singer are basically saying, “If we do not exist as God exists then it is better to not exist at all.”

In other words, a life without suffering, which would include death, is the only desirable life.  

Enough said.

PS. Let’s hope none of Benatar’s or Singer’s fans are found dead any time soon.