PhilosophersDavid Benatar

David Benatar

Argues that coming into existence is always a harm, because the absence of pain is good even when no one enjoys it.

Analytic philosophyPhilosophical pessimism1966ZA ZAJohannesburg (South Africa)

Life

South African philosopher, a professor at the University of Cape Town. He defends antinatalism: coming into existence is always a harm, even for the best lives, and it would be better not to create new people. He has also written on the human condition, the meaning of life and discrimination against men.

Main works

2006
Better Never to Have Been

Argues that coming into existence is always a harm.

2012
The Second Sexism

Studies discrimination against men and boys.

2017
The Human Predicament

Examines meaning, the quality of life, death and suicide.

In his own words

« Each one of us was harmed by being brought into existence. »
Better Never to Have Been (2006), Preface

Positions

click a row to see the evidence
Does life have a given meaning?Meaning of life
No given meaning (absurd, to be created)Objective meaning (nature, God, the Good)
Interpretation

Argues there is no cosmic meaning and that human life is, on balance, a predicament; only limited meaning is available.

Benatar, The Human Predicament (2017)

Argument

The asymmetry: never existing is better than existingDavid Benatar · 1997
Should we have children?Better never to have been 3

Also appears in

If children were made by pure reasonArthur Schopenhauer · 1851
Should we have children?Better never to have been 2
The last Messiah: an excess of consciousnessPeter Wessel Zapffe · 1933 · debate over 3 levels
Should we have children?Better never to have been 3