In this discussion with Peter Singer, a leading philosopher in ethics, listeners explore his evolving views on morality. He reflects on the transition from emotivist hedonistic utilitarianism to a belief in objective morality. The conversation dives into Hume's emphasis on emotions over objective truths and critiques of hedonistic ethics. Singer also shares insights on preference utilitarianism, advocating for individual preferences to enhance well-being, while stressing the importance of empathy and rationality in moral judgments.

Peter Singer, the influential philosopher known for his groundbreaking work in utilitarianism and animal rights, dives into contentious ethical issues. He tackles the moral complexities of Thanksgiving turkey consumption, challenging listeners to rethink their dietary choices. The discussion also spans the role of AI in ethical decision-making, emphasizing the risks and responsibilities involved. Singer urges a reevaluation of effective altruism, inspiring a deeper understanding of personal contributions to global suffering and the importance of ethical dialogue.

Peter Singer, a philosopher, discusses ethical problems in this podcast. The topics covered include the moral status of non-human animals, speciesism, animal suffering, conscientious omnivores, animal experimentation, Effective Altruism, and the comparative nature of human suffering.

Peter Singer is a renowned philosopher known for his influential work in applied ethics and Effective Altruism. Joining him is Katarzyna de Lazari-Radek, who specializes in the implications of ethical terminology. They delve into a balanced view of capitalism, advocating for reform rather than abolition. The conversation highlights the importance of pragmatic ethics in addressing issues like poverty and animal welfare. They also explore innovative approaches to moral activism and reflect on the evolution of philosophical discourse through movements like Effective Altruism.

Peter Singer, Daniel Markovits, and Carol Gilligan discuss reevaluating the Golden Rule, exploring tolerance in democracy, navigating moral laws, nurturing relational capacities for an ethical society, valuing diverse perspectives, and expanding ethical principles to include distant strangers, animals, and future generations.

In this episode, we try to trace morality to its elusive foundations. Throughout the compilation we take a look at Sam’s “Moral Landscape” and his effort to defend an objective path towards moral evaluation. We begin with the moral philosopher Peter Singer who outlines his famous “shallow pond” analogy and the framework of utilitarianism. We then hear from the moral psychologist Paul Bloom who makes the case against empathy and points out how it is more often a “bug” in our moral software than a “feature.” Later, William MacAskill describes the way a utilitarian philosophy informs his engagement with the Effective Altruism movement. The moral psychologist Jonathan Haidt then puts pressure on Sam’s emphasis on rationality and objective pathways towards morality by injecting a healthy dose of psychological skepticism into the conversation. After, we hear a fascinating exchange with the historian Dan Carlin where he and Sam tangle on the fraught issues of cultural relativism. We end by exploring the intersection of technological innovation and moral progress with the entrepreneur Uma Valeti, whom Sam seeks out when he encounters his own collision with a personal moral failure.   About the Series Filmmaker Jay Shapiro has produced The Essential Sam Harris, a new series of audio documentaries exploring the major topics that Sam has focused on over the course of his career. Each episode weaves together original analysis, critical perspective, and novel thought experiments with some of the most compelling exchanges from the Making Sense archive. Whether you are new to a particular topic, or think you have your mind made up about it, we think you’ll find this series fascinating.

Peter Singer is a philosopher, creator of the ethical veganism movement, bioethicist, Princeton University professor, and author.Do animals possess the capacity to suffer? And if they do, does that mean there is a moral case to ensure that we reduce their suffering as much as possible? Thankfully, the ethical case for animal welfare is much more interesting and reasonable than protestors throwing pigs blood over your Canada Goose coat.Expect to learn just how much progress humans have made in improving animal welfare, which species actually have the greatest capacity for suffering, whether it's possible to do "ethical" meat farming, how to harmonise ecosystem preservation with hunting practices, Peter’s perspective on the current vegan movement & why it hasn’t gained global momentum, whether humans are ethically obliged to consume as few calories as possible, whether we need to be worried about AI agents' capacity to suffer and much more...Sponsors:Get 20% discount & free shipping on your Lawnmower 4.0 at https://manscaped.com/modernwisdom (use code MODERNWISDOM)Get 5 Free Travel Packs, Free Liquid Vitamin D and more from Athletic Greens at https://athleticgreens.com/modernwisdom (discount automatically applied)Get 20% discount on House Of Macadamias’ nuts at https://houseofmacadamias.com/modernwisdom (use code MW20)Extra Stuff:Buy Animal Liberation Now - https://amzn.to/3BTculnGet my free Reading List of 100 books to read before you die → https://chriswillx.com/books/To support me on Patreon (thank you): https://www.patreon.com/modernwisdom-Get in touch.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillxTwitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillxYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcastEmail: https://chriswillx.com/contact/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Peter Singer is one of the world’s most influential living philosophers, whose ideas have motivated millions of people to change how they eat, how they give, and how they interact with each other and the natural world. Peter joined Tyler to discuss whether utilitarianism is only tractable at the margin, how Peter thinks about the meat-eater problem, why he might side with aliens over humans, at what margins he would police nature, the utilitarian approach to secularism and abortion, what he’s learned producing the Journal of Controversial Ideas, what he’d change about the current Effective Altruism movement, where Derek Parfit went wrong, to what extent we should respect the wishes of the dead, why professional philosophy is so boring, his advice on how to enjoy our lives, what he’ll be doing after retiring from teaching, and more. Read a full transcript enhanced with helpful links, or watch the full video.  Recorded May 25th, 2023 Other ways to connect Follow us on Twitter and Instagram Follow Tyler on Twitter Follow Peter on Twitter Email us: cowenconvos@mercatus.gmu.edu Learn more about Conversations with Tyler and other Mercatus Center podcasts here. Photo credit: Katarzyna de Lazari-Radek

Renowned philosopher Peter Singer discusses objective truths in morality, cultural evolution and universal altruism, promoting a simpler standard for charity, Apuleius' critique of animal mistreatment, the impact of 'Animal Liberation' and the state of animal welfare, Indian vegetarianism and the influence of spices, abolishing wild animal suffering, the spark of social movements, the influence of secularism and political ideologies on utilitarianism, and assessing the history of life on Earth and reasons for optimism.

Sam Harris speaks with philosopher Peter Singer about the moral status of non-human animals, speciesism, and the scale of animal suffering. They also discuss conscientious omnivores, animal experimentation, and concerns about Effective Altruism. Singer's influential book 'Animal Liberation' is explored, as well as the comparative nature of human suffering and the work of philosopher Derek Parfit. They touch on objective morality and delve into Buddhist ethics and contemporary issues with a female Buddhist monastic.