Peter Singer Quotes
Peter Singer is an Australian moral philosopher and the most widely read utilitarian writer of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. His Animal Liberation became the founding manifesto of the modern animal rights movement, arguing that the capacity to suffer, not membership of a species, is the morally relevant fact. The quotes below are attributed to Peter Singer, organized by topic.
Peter Singer on Freedom
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“Quoted by Michael Specter on the impact of the book Animal Liberation , " The Dangerous Philosopher ", The New Yorker , 6 September 1999.”
To be honest, I was somewhat disappointed... It's had effects around the margins, of course, but they have mostly been minor. When I wrote it, I really thought the book would change the world. I know it sounds a little grand now, but at the time the sixties still existed for us. It looked as if real changes were possible, and I let myself believe that this would be one of them. All you have to do
Peter Singer on God
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“The evidence of our own eyes makes it more plausible to believe that the world was not created by any god at all. If, however, we insist on believing in divine creation, we are forced to admit that the god who made the world cannot be all-powerful and all good. He must be either evil or a bungler.”
The God of Suffering? Project Syndicate , 2008 -
“The God of Suffering? Project Syndicate , 2008”
The evidence of our own eyes makes it more plausible to believe that the world was not created by any god at all. If, however, we insist on believing in divine creation, we are forced to admit that the god who made the world cannot be all-powerful and all good. He must be either evil or a bungler.
Peter Singer on Justice
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“All animals are equal: the principle of equality requires that suffering be considered equally with the like suffering of any other being.”
Speciesism —the word is not an attractive one, but I can think of no better term—is a prejudice or attitude of bias in favor of the interests of members of one's own species and against those of members of other species. -
“Speciesism is a prejudice or attitude of bias in favor of the interests of members of one's own species.”
Ch. 1: All Animals Are Equal -
“Speciesism is an attitude of prejudice towards beings because they're not members of our species, so just as racism means that you're prejudiced against beings who are not members of your race and sexism means you're prejudiced against people of the other sex. So we humans tend to be speciesist in we think that any being that is a member of the species homo sapien just automatically has a higher moral status and is more important than any being that is a member of any other species, irrespective of the actual characteristics of those beings.”
Peter Singer - The Genius of Darwin: The Uncut Interviews - Richard Dawkins , 2009.
Peter Singer on Knowledge
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“I am a utilitarian. I am also a vegetarian. I am a vegetarian because I am a utilitarian.”
Utilitarianism and Vegetarianism, Philosophy & Public Affairs , 9(4): 325 (1980). -
“Utilitarianism and Vegetarianism, Philosophy & Public Affairs , 9(4): 325 (1980).”
I am a utilitarian. I am also a vegetarian. I am a vegetarian because I am a utilitarian. -
“To be honest, I was somewhat disappointed... It's had effects around the margins, of course, but they have mostly been minor. When I wrote it, I really thought the book would change the world. I know it sounds a little grand now, but at the time the sixties still existed for us. It looked as if real changes were possible, and I let myself believe that this would be one of them. All you have to do is walk around the corner to McDonald's to see how successful I have been.”
Quoted by Michael Specter on the impact of the book Animal Liberation , " The Dangerous Philosopher ", The New Yorker , 6 September 1999. -
“Peter Singer - The Genius of Darwin: The Uncut Interviews - Richard Dawkins , 2009.”
Speciesism is an attitude of prejudice towards beings because they're not members of our species, so just as racism means that you're prejudiced against beings who are not members of your race and sexism means you're prejudiced against people of the other sex. So we humans tend to be speciesist in we think that any being that is a member of the species homo sapien just automatically has a higher m -
“Last Generation': A Response , The New York Times , June 16, 2010.”
Philosophy is not politics, and we do our best, within our all-too-human limitations, to seek the truth, not to score points against opponents. There is little satisfaction in gaining an easy triumph over a weak opponent while ignoring better arguments against your views.
Peter Singer on Nature
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Attributed to Peter Singer:
“The capacity for suffering and enjoyment is a prerequisite for having interests at all.”
Peter Singer on Politics
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“Philosophy is not politics, and we do our best, within our all-too-human limitations, to seek the truth, not to score points against opponents. There is little satisfaction in gaining an easy triumph over a weak opponent while ignoring better arguments against your views.”
Last Generation': A Response , The New York Times , June 16, 2010.
Peter Singer on Virtue
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“If it is in our power to prevent something bad from happening, without thereby sacrificing anything of comparable moral importance, we ought, morally, to do it.”
Famine, Affluence, and Morality -
Attributed to Peter Singer:
“An ethical life is one in which we identify ourselves with other, larger goals.”