Episode Details

This episode of Our Hen House features an animal rights legend, renowned philosopher, and ethicist, Peter Singer. In this thought-provoking conversation, we explore a range of topics, including the principle of equal consideration of interests, the nuance between sentience and consciousness, and the evolution of the animal movement since Peter’s groundbreaking book Animal Liberation was first released 50 years ago. Peter and Mariann also discuss the importance of individual actions while moving toward systemic change and the shifts in thought regarding animal welfare. 

*We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read Mariann’s interview with Peter Singer*

Peter Singer has been called the “world’s most influential living philosopher.” He’s authored more than 50 groundbreaking books including Animal Liberation, Practical Ethics, The Expanding Circle, Rethinking Life and Death, One World, The Ethics of What We Eat (with Jim Mason) and The Point of View of the Universe (with Katarzyna de Lazari-Radek). Peter’s work on the ethics of our treatment of animals is often credited with starting the modern animal rights movement, and his writing has greatly influenced the development of effective altruism. He is the co-founder of the Australian Federation of Animal Societies, now Animals Australia, the country’s largest and most effective animal organization. Peter is the recipient of the 2021 Berggruen Prize for Philosophy and Culture, and has committed to donating the accompanying $1 million to the most effective organizations working to assist people in extreme poverty and to reduce the suffering of animals in factory farms. After teaching in England, the United States, and Australia, he became the Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics in the University Center for Human Values at Princeton University.

“If a being is feeling pain, then what matters is how much pain they’re feeling, not what species the being is.” – Peter Singer

Highlights for Episode 698: 

• The paradox of changing awareness versus stagnant behaviors in relation to animal rights
• Peter’s challenges in writing Animal Liberation Now and the difference between writing this book and the original
• Balancing objectivity with sensitivity to animal suffering in Peter’s writing
• The importance of avoiding jargon to foster inclusivity in philosophical discourse
• Exploring the concept of being a conscientious omnivore and its implications
• Examining the nature of sentience as a scale or a binary condi