Episode #208 - The moral evolution of a philosopher. (Peter Singer)
Episode #208 - The moral evolution of a philosopher. (Peter Singer)
We talk about Emotivism. R.M. Hare's Prescriptivism. Nozick's Experience Machine. Some thought experiments from Derek Parfit. Henry Sidgwick and Objectivist Hedonistic Utilitarianism.
This episode traces the moral evolution of philosopher Peter Singer, showing how his ethical beliefs have changed over decades of thought and debate. Beginning as an emotivist hedonistic utilitarian who believed morality was based on feelings and subjective preferences, Singer gradually shifted toward a more rationalist and objective approach. Influenced by thinkers like R.M. Hare and Derek Parfit, he moved from emotivism to prescriptivism, then ultimately to moral objectivism, where he now sees certain ethical truths—like the undesirability of suffering—as self-evident through reason alone. Along the way, Singer challenged and refined his views on utilitarianism, shifting from maximizing pleasure to satisfying preferences, and finally returning to a refined form of hedonistic utilitarianism inspired by Henry Sidgwick. His journey reflects a lifelong commitment to clarity, logical consistency, and ethical progress grounded in reflection, rationality, and compassion for all sentient life.
Further Reading:
The Expanding Circle: Ethics, Evolution, and Moral Progress – Peter Singer (1981)
The Point of View of the Universe: Sidgwick and Contemporary Ethics – Peter Singer & Katarzyna de Lazari-Radek (2014)
Ethics in the Real World: 82 Brief Essays on Things That Matter – Peter Singer (2016)
See the full transcript here
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