Recommendations from our site
“Practical Ethics came out in 1979, just before I began studying philosophy. I loved its rigour, and I found Peter Singer almost impossible to argue with. I agreed with almost every position he took on every issue. There were chapters on abortion, on animal rights, on how much money we can give to the poor. It’s really the blueprint for everything he’s written subsequently. He is prolific, but if you want to know what Singer believes on a given topic, you may as well go back to Practical Ethics. There’s a whole chapter on the fact that if we know that people are going to die in the Third World and we fail to do something about it, we’re as responsible for their murder as if we put a bullet through their heads. It’s a very practical book which addresses these controversial issues. I became a vegetarian at university after reading it, so it had a big effect on my life. I’ve since moved away from his very rigid utilitarianism on other topics, but I still find his arguments about how we should treat animals very persuasive.” Read more...
The best books on Ethical Problems
David Edmonds, Philosopher
“I had already decided to study philosophy as an undergraduate, but when I read it I was compelled by the thought that philosophical reasoning is of huge importance and can really change the world.” Read more...
The best books on Effective Altruism
Will MacAskill, Nonprofit Leaders & Activist
