1. Millions of people in the developing world suffer extreme poverty, illness, and insecurity. It is widely believed that affluent people in developed countries ought to help them escape this terrible condition. But why, exactly? Some philosophers ground our responsibility in a quite general requirement to reduce suffering, others in a duty not to support an international order that harms the global poor by perpetuating their destitution. Still others argue for a duty of fairness not just to eliminate poverty but to create roughly equal life prospects for all. What do you think?
2. A village is under attack and the villagers flee into the forest in an attempt to hide. Among the fleeing villagers is a mother and her baby. While in hiding, the baby starts to cry; if the baby continues to cry, the attackers will most surely locate and kill the villagers. What should the mother do? Should she smother her baby in an attempt to save herself and the group or should she allow her baby to cry, thereby risking the death of herself, her baby and her fellow villagers? In this case, is infanticide ethically and morally justified if it's in the best interest of the group?