An Australian philosopher who taught for many years at Princeton University. His book Animal Liberation, from 1975, gave a boost to the animal rights movement. He argues that we should take into account the suffering of every being capable of feeling it, and he is one of the inspirations of the effective altruism movement.
Core ideas
The suffering of any sentient being counts, whether human or animal
Whoever can help prevent great suffering at little cost has a duty to help
Discriminating against beings because of their species is a prejudice similar to racism
The tradition: Contemporary utilitarian
Contemporary utilitarianism judges actions by their consequences, aiming to reduce suffering and increase the well-being of all. Singer is today its best-known representative.
