EAG 2017 Boston: Expanding the moral circle (Kelly Witwicki)

Approximately 95% of the 100 billion animals being raised for food right now suffer in “factory farm” conditions. There are at least a thousand times more wild animals, many of them in dire circumstances, and vastly more beings might exist in the distant future as humanity’s technological capabilities grow. All of these individuals lie outside humanity’s current moral circle, so substantial progress could be made by helping society account for their interests. Sentience Institute will research and promote the most effective strategies to expand humanity’s moral circle to include all sentient beings, meaning those beings who experience happiness and suffering, regardless of their sex, race, species, substrate, location, or any other characteristic. This talk will discuss Sentience Institute’s plans and introduce its first publication, a Summary of Evidence for Foundational Questions in Effective Animal Advocacy.

Source: Effective Altruism Global (video).

Effective Altruism is a social movement dedicated to finding ways to do the most good possible, whether through charitable donations, career choices, or volunteer projects. EA Global conferences are gatherings for EAs to meet. You can also listen to this talk along with its accompanying video on YouTube.