In an era of cancel culture, outrage cycles, and the censorship of dissent, philosopher and co-founder of The Journal of Controversial Ideas Peter Singer makes his case for freedom of thought and expression.
Singer argues that silencing uncomfortable ideas doesn't make us safer — it makes us less able to grow, reason, and solve the pressing issues of our time.
Chapters:
00:00 Freedom of thought and expression
00:44 Why is freedom of thought essential?
02:21 The cost of preventing objections
03:10 The Journal of Controversial Ideas
07:31 Our political climate and controversy
09:38 An argument for hiding controversial ideas
11:50 The importance of an open debate
14:18 Choice in end of life
18:54 Same-sex relationships
About Peter Singer:
Peter Singer has been described as the world’s most influential philosopher. Born in Melbourne in 1946, he has been professor of bioethics at Princeton University since 1999. His many books include Animal Liberation - often credited with triggering the modern animal rights movement - Practical Ethics, The Life You Can Save, The Most Good You Can Do, and Ethics in the Real World. In 2023, he published Animal Liberation Now, a fully revised and updated version of the 1975 original.
Singer’s writings have also inspired the movement known as effective altruism, and he is the founder of the charity The Life You Can Save. In 2021 he was awarded the $1 million Berggruen Prize for Philosophy and Culture, which he donated to nonprofit organizations working for the causes he supports. In 2023 he received the Frontiers of Knowledge Prize for the Humanities, from the Spanish BBVA Foundation.
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