Dissense

As I previously mentioned, handouts for beggars can actually be quite harmful (would you like to be the guy who enabled an addict to purchase enough crack to OD?). But that’s actually the weaker argument against the practice.
Rather, I’d say the psychic harm outweighs any benefits. No, I’m not going to bemoan the growth of …

While I salute the clarity A employs above, he seems blind to the pitfalls of his proposition. A blithely assumes that putting a penny in the old man’s hat (to get into the spirit of the season) is a good act in his very defense of it.

The analysis above falls prey to the moral illusion of immediacy. While it may be absurd to say that the existence of “better” (more utility optimizing) alternatives negates the moral worth of a given act, it is at least equally absurd to suggest that any unreciprocated conferral of value, qua charity, is automatically deserving of …

I believe the practice of giving to beggars should be viewed favorably but not demanded. The act edifies the donor as well as affirming the personhood and autonomy of the donee. Though this position is typically met with two related objections–first, that the money could be better spent; and second, that the recipient is likely to spend the money improperly–neither is compelling.