What ethical theory does Peter Singer use?

utilitarianism
Singer’s work in applied ethics and his activism in politics were informed by his utilitarianism, the tradition in ethical philosophy that holds that actions are right or wrong depending on the extent to which they promote happiness or prevent pain.

What kind of ethicist is Peter Singer?

Utilitarian ethicists
The philosopher Peter Singer, who regularly tops lists of the most influential people worldwide, is known for his controversial, yet highly convincing, utilitarian outlook. Utilitarian ethicists believe that the consequences of an action determine whether or not it’s moral.

Why is Singer a utilitarian?

Singer is the most famous and influential contemporary utilitarian philosopher. Singer is best known for his views on animal ethics. He argues for the equal consideration of human and non-human animal interests because animals have the capacity for suffering and enjoyment.

What is Singer’s thesis?

“Famine, Affluence, and Morality” is an essay written by Peter Singer in 1971 and published in Philosophy and Public Affairs in 1972. It argues that affluent persons are morally obligated to donate far more resources to humanitarian causes than is considered normal in Western cultures.

What is controversial about Peter Singer’s utilitarian views?

Controversial utilitarians have to eat too. Singer is controversial mostly because of his position on infanticide and euthanasia. For example, he holds that it would be morally proper in some circumstances to kill a severely incapacitated infant whose life would cause immense suffering for himself and his family.

What was Peter Singer’s argument?

Main argument Peter Singer’s core argument in ‘Famine, Affluence and Morality’ is as follows: “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.”

What are the arguments that Peter Singer use to support his animal rights project?

In Animal Liberation, Singer argues that in assessing the consequences of our actions, it is necessary to take the interests of animals seriously and to weigh any adverse affect on those interests from human actions as part of the consequences of those actions.

Is Peter Singer a rule or act utilitarian?

Singer is an act utilitarian who believes that it is the consequences of the contemplated act that matter, and not the consequences of following a more generalized rule. There are, of course, differing views of which consequences are relevant.