查看文章

Human beings, such as you and I, possess at least one property that makes killing us distinctively wrong or seriously wrong. Peter Singer believes that because infants have no such property infanticide is not always wrong. No infant is seriously wronged by being killed, although if an infant is wanted by others, then infanticide could wrong others. Normal infants will almost always be wanted. Some handicapped infants are unwanted. In such cases killing them is morally permissible (Practical Ethics, pp. 122–26). This view has engendered great interest and great hostility. 1

Singer’s views on infanticide are implied by his defense of abortion choice. Like infants, no fetus possesses a property that could make killing her seriously wrong (Practical Ethics, Chapter 4). This view, when combined with the liberty rights of pregnant women, underwrites abortion choice.