Unsanctifying Human Life brings together some of Peter Singer's most challenging articles from 1971 to the present. The book covers a wide range of ethical topics, including the moral status of animals, infanticide, euthanasia, and environmental responsibility. It challenges traditional views on the sanctity of human life and encourages a more utilitarian approach to ethics.
Peter Singer's "Writings on an Ethical Life" is a collection of essays exploring various ethical dilemmas. It delves into Singer's utilitarian perspective, examining issues such as poverty, animal rights, and euthanasia. The book challenges readers to confront their moral responsibilities towards others, both human and non-human. Singer's clear and compelling arguments encourage critical reflection on personal values and societal norms. The essays offer a comprehensive overview of Singer's ethical framework and its implications for individual actions and global issues.
This memoir by Chasten Buttigieg explores his early life in a conservative Midwestern family, including experiences with sexual assault, homelessness, and family estrangement. It also covers his marriage to Pete Buttigieg and his role during Pete's 2020 presidential campaign. The book offers emotional honesty about his life story and serves as a reflection on identity and resilience.
In 'Practical Ethics,' Peter Singer provides a comprehensive introduction to applied ethics. The book delves into the principles of ethics, emphasizing the role of rationality in moral decision-making. Singer discusses a range of ethical issues including race, sex, ability, species, abortion, euthanasia, infanticide, embryo experimentation, animal rights, political violence, overseas aid, and environmental concerns. He advocates for a utilitarian approach, arguing that it offers a practical framework for addressing moral conflicts by maximizing well-being and reducing suffering. The book also explores the concept of effective altruism, urging readers to consider their moral obligations to assist those in extreme poverty and to act in ways that maximize the impact of their charitable actions. The third edition includes a new chapter on climate change, one of the most pressing ethical challenges of our time[1][2][4].
First published in 1975, 'Animal Liberation' by Peter Singer has been a pivotal book in the animal rights movement. It introduces the concept of 'speciesism,' the systematic neglect and exploitation of nonhuman animals. Singer argues that the interests of all beings capable of suffering should be given equal consideration, regardless of their species. The book critiques factory farming and animal experimentation, presenting alternatives and advocating for a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. The revised edition, 'Animal Liberation Now,' updates the arguments to reflect current issues, including environmental impacts and the spread of viruses from factory farms[1][3][5].
First published in 1975, 'Animal Liberation' by Peter Singer has been a pivotal book in the animal rights movement. It introduces the concept of 'speciesism,' the systematic neglect and exploitation of nonhuman animals. Singer argues that the interests of all beings capable of suffering should be given equal consideration, regardless of their species. The book critiques factory farming and animal experimentation, presenting alternatives and advocating for a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. The revised edition, 'Animal Liberation Now,' updates the arguments to reflect current issues, including environmental impacts and the spread of viruses from factory farms[1][3][5].
Can we live a good life in a world where animals are factory farmed? Guest host Dylan Matthews talks with the world-famous ethicist Peter Singer, author of Animal Liberation Now, the newly revised edition of his movement-founding 1975 work. They talk about the progress made by the animal rights movement — and the issues it still faces. Dylan also questions Singer on other aspects of his career as an outspoken popularizer of philosophy and ethics, including his positions on physician-assisted dying, abortion rights, and effective altruism.
Host: Dylan Matthews (@dylanmatt), senior correspondent, Vox
Guest: Peter Singer (@PeterSinger), Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics, Princeton University; author
References:
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Animal Liberation Now by Peter Singer (Harper Perennial; 2023), an updated version of Animal Liberation by Peter Singer (HarperCollins; 1975)
- Peter Singer Live on Stage: tickets and more info
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"Animal Liberation" by Peter Singer (New York Review of Books, Apr. 5, 1973)
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Unsanctifying Human Life: Essays on Ethics by Peter Singer (Wiley-Blackwell; 2002)
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Practical Ethics by Peter Singer (Cambridge; 1979)
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"Unspeakable Conversations" by Harriet McBryde Johnson (NYT Magazine; Feb. 16, 2003)
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"Famine, Affluence, and Morality" by Peter Singer (Philosophy & Public Affairs, vol. 1 no. 3; Spring, 1972)
- Giving What We Can
- Jeremy Bentham, An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation (1789)
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"Sam Bankman-Fried tries to explain himself" by Kelsey Piper (Vox; Nov. 16, 2022)
- The St. Petersburg Paradox
- Henry Sidgwick, The Methods of Ethics (1874)
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Moral Thinking by R.M. Hare (Oxford; 1982)
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Ethics and the Limits of Philosophy by Bernard Williams (Harvard; 1986)
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This episode was made by:
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Producer: Erikk Geannikis
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Engineer: Patrick Boyd
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Editorial Director, Vox Talk: A.M. Hall
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