The Importance of Utilitarianism

Peter Singer is often referred to as the “world’s most influential living philosopher.” He is the Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics at Princeton University. He specialises in applied ethics, approaching the subject from a secular, naturalistic, utilitarian perspective. He wrote the books "Animal Liberation", Why Vegan? and "Animal Liberation Now!" (launched on the same day as this episode! - speaking tour here), in which he argues against speciesism and for a shift to plant-based food systems and veganism. He also wrote the essay "Famine, Affluence, and Morality" and the books "The Life You Can Save" & "The Most Good You Can Do" which argue for effective altruism - using evidence & reasoning to do the most good we can for all sentient beings both human and not. In 2004 Peter was recognised as the Australian Humanist of the Year by the Council of Australian Humanist Societies. In 2005, the Sydney Morning Herald placed him among Australia's ten most influential public intellectuals. Singer is a cofounder of Animals Australia & the founder of The Life You Can Save.In 2021 he received the Berggruen Prize for Philosophy and Culture. Peter donated the $1 million prize money to the most effective organizations working to assist people in extreme poverty and to reduce the suffering of animals in factory farms.

In Sentientist Conversations we talk about the two most important questions: “what’s real?” & “who matters?”

Sentientism is "evidence, reason & compassion for all sentient beings." The video of our conversation is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

We discuss:

00:00 Welcome

- Animal Liberation Now! - why now?

- Sentientism's links to ancient naturalistic, sentiocentric themes of thought & Peter's work

- Sentientism's 1) naturalism, 2) sentiocentrism & ethical pluralism, 3) implications of not needlessly harming or killing

- "What needlessly killing amounts to... is a question... that could have a lot of discussion"

- "In terms of what really matters in itself I agree that Sentientism is the right view"

- The challenges of the words speciesism & sentientism - too many syllables!

- Peter's entry on our "I'm a Sentientist" wall

06:12 What's Real?

- Non-religious Jewish parents "they came to Australia as refugees from the Nazis, leaving Austria"

- Mother "a fervent agnostic... there isn't reason to believe in a god or a supernatural being or life after death"

- "In some parts of the United States it's almost necessary to belong to a religion to have a community"

- Rabbi cousin in Mobile, Alabama "When I say god I mean whatever it is in the universe that is a force for good... (e.g. some human beings)"

- "I kind of thought of them as fairy stories"

- Childhood meeting with Catholic kids "don't ask him any more questions - he'll only blacken his soul & go to hell... I wasn't in the least frightened"

- Negative aspects of religions: Religious wars & "very often a conservative force against what I see as progressive reforms"

- "If there were no religious teachings against #abortion I don't think the US would be divided over the issue"

- Why religious organisations get social licence to continue #sexism , #homophobia , #transphobia

- "[Religious] teachings about sex which have been a very negative influence... making people feel guilty"

- Previous guest Lisa Kemmerer

26:25 What Matters?

38:58 Who Matters?

01:10:05 How Can We Make A Better Future?

...and much more. Full show notes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sentientism.info⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Sentientism is “Evidence, reason & compassion for all sentient beings.” More at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sentientism.info⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Join our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠"I'm a Sentientist" wall⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠this simple form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Everyone, Sentientist or not, is welcome in our groups. The biggest so far is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here on FaceBook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Come join us there!