Abstract

The article gives an account of the prelude to an extensive ethical debate in Germany which was sparked off by an invitation to the Australian philosopher Peter Singer to speak at the University of Dortmund. He was to lecture about the right to life of severely handicapped new-born babies. But among special educators this theme provoked violent protests throughout the country; organisations of the disabled and various other groups forced the cancellation of the lecture and discussion with Peter Singer. The kind of dispute which follows in special education is not to be judged without consideration of the methodological background of this young discipline. The events around the ‘Singer affair’ have shown severe methodological deficits, which may or rather must be cured in future.