Choices Quote by Peter Singer
“I don't see how anyone could really think that if you have a choice between saving the life of one person and saving the lives of a million people, to say - well, I've saved the one - can you really take that seriously? I can't.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Practical Ethics, Peter Singer, 1979
The moral weight of saving many outweighs saving one, making a single‑person rescue insufficient justification for ignoring larger numbers.
In simple terms: Saving many is morally stronger than saving one.
Key Takeaway
Consider the scale of impact.
Themes
ethics
utilitarianism
value of life
Mood
thoughtful
serious
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- public policy
- medical triage
- resource allocation
- environmental decisions
Key Concepts
consequentialism
moral calculus
collective responsibility
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance individual rights with collective good?
- When is it acceptable to prioritize the many?
A Different Perspective
It may ignore individual rights and personal relationships.
![“Nineteen thousand children [are] dying every day. Does it really matter that we're not walking past them in the street? Does it really matter that they're far away? I don't think it does make a morally relevant difference.” quote by Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/cc1/peter-singer-1001_children_nineteen-thousand-children-are-dying-eve_33961.jpg)
