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31 - Thought Lab 3: Utilitarianism & the Great Spreadsheet

31 - Thought Lab 3: Utilitarianism & the Great Spreadsheet

FromGood in Theory: A Political Philosophy Podcast


31 - Thought Lab 3: Utilitarianism & the Great Spreadsheet

FromGood in Theory: A Political Philosophy Podcast

ratings:
Length:
47 minutes
Released:
Aug 2, 2021
Format:
Podcast episode

Description

Today, Paul Sagar and I get into utilitarianism. We talk about thought experiments that involve: drowning kids, ruined loafers, death squads and bioweapons. The drowning children are from Peter Singer. He's a utilitarian that thinks that we rich first-world types should be giving away all our money to save the global poor from starving and malaria. Paul disagrees. He brings in another philosopher (Bernard Williams) to argue that worrying about starving children all the time would violate his integrity. As usual, he tries hard not to offend anyone (until he gets to Hiroshima). References: Peter Singer, “Famine, affluence and morality”Bernard Williams, “Against Utilitarianism”Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/user?u=35146517&fan_landing=true)
Released:
Aug 2, 2021
Format:
Podcast episode

Titles in the series (45)

Good in Theory is a podcast about political philosophy and how it can help us understand the world today. Want to know what's in Plato's Republic or Hobbes's Leviathan but don't want to read them? This is your pod. I explain my favourite books in political theory in enough detail that you’ll feel like you read them yourself. Deep but not heavy. No experience needed.