Peter Singer to speak in May Festival build up

Date posted: 6 February 09

Peter Singer, one of the world’s leading philosophers, will speak in Bristol in April as part of the 2009 Bristol Festival of Ideas.

In a special event, Singer, author of over 23 books, including the classic Animal Liberation, will talk about his most recent work, The Life You Can Save: Acting Now to End World Poverty, and then deliver a keynote presentation, ‘Darwin and the Animals’, as part of the festival’s focus on the life and work of Charles Darwin in 2009, in which he explores the kindler, gentler Darwin and the implications of his work today for the natural world.

The event takes place on 2 April, 18.00-20.00 in Explore-At-Bristol.

Andrew Kelly, director of the festival, said today:

“Darwin showed our links to the rest of the natural world. Peter Singer’s lecture provides an opportunity to look at Darwin’s humanity and his love of nature. I am looking forward to this event immensely.”

Singer, Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics at Princeton University, and laureate professor at the Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics (CAPPE), University of Melbourne, is the author of many books including the classic Animal Liberation, A Darwinian Left, Practical Ethics, How Are We to Live? Ethics in an Age of Self-Interest, The Way We Eat: Why our Food Choices Matter, and One World: The Ethics of Globalisation. In his new book, Singer argues that extreme poverty could be abolished if the world’s wealthiest ten per cent of people donated a fraction of their income.

Julian Baggini, editor of tpm (The Philosophers’ Magazine), and a member of the Bristol Festival of Ideas advisory board, said today:

“For four decades, Peter Singer has been leading ethical debate inside and outside academia. The vitriol of some of his sternest critics is in marked contrast to his own measured, humane discourse. Whether you agree with him or not, the challenges he sets us are stern and must be taken very seriously indeed.”

Tickets for the event are now on sale. Click here for further details and information on how to book.

Links

Click here to read more about Darwin 200.