Peter Lin, Ph.D., associate chair and professor of psychology, recently had the opportunity to interview the “world’s most influential living philosopher,” Peter Singer, Ph.D., for C.A.F.E. 229, a series of webinars that Dr. Lin has been producing for the last few years.
In his interview with Dr. Singer, they discuss the efforts to achieve effective altruism, the relationship of utilitarianism to the concept, and questions of morality and ethics in the pursuit of such ideals.
In partnership with the Tzu Chi Center, who provided the resources to build the series, Dr. Lin has interviewed NY Times bestselling authors, TED speakers, Emmy award winners, Olympic athletes and internationally renowned scholars, including Dr. Singer. In addition, C.A.F.E. 229 has become part of the Brooklyn Campus’ honor students’ academic concentration, combining Dr. Lin’s webinars with coursework and field trips.
“When I interview these guests, I always keep my students in mind because they are my target audience,” said Dr. Lin. “Peter Singer is a role model of altruism for all of us. I hope this interview will motivate students to be more altruistic and insightful, so they can be a step closer to SJNY’s motto, ‘to be, not to seem’.”
Born in Melbourne, Australia, Dr. Peter Singer is a renowned moral philosopher, labeled by various journalists as the “world’s most influential living philosopher.” As an accomplished author and professor, he is known for his work on the ethics of our treatment of animals, and has had an influence through his writing on the development of effective altruism.
Dr. Singer has taught in England, the U.S. and Australia. He was the Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics at the University Center for Human Values at Princeton University for 25 years.
The full interview can be accessed here.
