Why would very bad lives be worth continuing?

Abstract

David Benatar believes that (1) all human lives are very bad; that (2) some human lives are worth continuing; and that (3) some human lives are not worth continuing. This article claims that Benatar’s arguments do not support all three statements at once. After giving a brief outline of his position, it is shown that insofar as his arguments support (1) and (2), they do not support (3), and that insofar as they support (1) and (3), they do not support (2). It is then shown that insofar as they support (2) and (3), they do not support (1).