The Intrinsic Worth of Persons

Abstract

This essay examines various sources of worth intrinsic to persons, and offers an overview of Peter Singer's ethical thought. Critics of Singer's ethical philosophy admit that there is a seemingly insurmountable obstacle to a definitive critique of his views. The "Singer Problem" is the notion that there are no facts intrinsic to persons capable of grounding their dignity and equality. Yet these are not so much critics as thinkers who do not like the conclusions that follow from unquestioned premises which they share with Singer: an overly rationalistic approach to reality, and the view that goodness is not an objective property of things. By exploring the uniqueness of persons, John Crosby shows a deep source of worth intrinsic to persons, which grounds dignity and equality. Based exclusively on traits common to all persons, Singer's notion of personhood excludes love from ethics; but love has a place in ethics.