Further, I would offer that Dr. Singer is indeed responsible for much of the furor that surrounds him. Best not eat that mollusk, he counsels, as it might suffer. But what of the involuntarily euthanized human; how is suffering to be measured in such a case?

Hilde Lindemann Nelson speaks thus of utilitarianism; "...But its day may be past. It's too austere, too simple to do some of the moral work that Singer aspires to do."

On the contrary, this "moral work" is not simple. It is not a formula, an easy answer to increasing demands on limited resources. It is not a mere logic problem translated into triage. In order to employ utilitarianism justly, humanly, defensibly, it is essential that all those empowered to make decisions about allocation of services be willing to step beyond their own fears and prejudices in order to enter into difficult, sometimes agonizing conversation about the nature of the individual, responsibility to self and the community, and the limits of human knowledge. Unless and until this happens, the brand of utilitarianism espoused by Dr. Singer, as it is popularly understood, can too easily be used to justify the removal of those deemed too expensive or inconvenient, under the pretext doing the greatest good for the greatest number. And there is undeniable historical precedent for the danger of such views.

-- Jacquelyn O'Sullivan, Episcopal Divinity School, Seminarian (posted 3/6, 10:06 a.m., E.S.T.)

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