Peter Singer Discusses Ethics in Covid-19: Triage, Shutdown, Wet Markets and More

This episode is part of our ongoing Covid-19 special coverage, which consists of real-time updated interviews, op-eds, & “punchlines” as the situation evolves…

Peter Singer is the Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics at Princeton University. Considered by many as “world’s most influential living philosopher,” Prof. Singer works mostly in practical ethics and is known for his controversial critique of the sanctity of life ethics.

In this interview, Prof. Singer discusses some of the most pressing debates in ethical and moral philosophy related to the Covid-19 crisis:

• How one may reason through triage decisions when it's no longer hypothetical to decide who lives and dies – what should the standards be for triage and ICU priority, and who should be making those decisions;

• Whether the negatives of the economic shutdown outweigh the benefits, especially in the context of underdeveloped countries where starvation, child malnutrition, and migration difficulties as a result of the country lockdown may result in more years of lives lost for the world;

• When should governments be justified to intervene with individual choices for better public health outcomes? While drastic measures during a pandemic may be welcomed, what about in normal times? Should we compel citizens to wear masks during regular flu seasons in the future, for example?

• Why he advocates for the closing of wet markets, and why the Covid-19 crisis adds another reasons why we should adopt vegetarianism while condemning factory farming;

• The long-term moral-ethical impacts of Covid-19 – will there be a greater sense of empathy and global awareness for other people’s health as a result?

• and many more fascinating questions and arguments…

The interview is co-hosted by Tiger Gao and Arjun Mani, who will also offer a post-interview discussion of some of the most interesting philosophical, economic, and political arguments central to the crisis today.

Photo by Alletta Vaandering, source: Baku Magazine

You may learn more about Prof. Singer’s work by visiting petersinger.info.

Prof. Singer is perhaps best known for his book "Animal Liberation," often credited with starting the modern animal rights movement. A vegetarian himself, he co-founded the Australian Federation of Animal Societies, now Animals Australia, the country's largest and most effective animal organization. He is also the founder of "The Life You Can Save," an organization based on his book of the same name. It aims to spread ideas about why we should be doing much more to improve the lives of people living in extreme poverty, and how we can best do this. Prof. Singer's writings have also heavily influenced the development of the effective altruism movement.

Prof. Singer has written, co-authored, edited or co-edited more than 50 books, including "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). His writings have appeared in more than 25 languages.