The Life You Can Save, by Peter Singer, is a book about our ethical obligation to give to the world poor. Singer delivers a moral argument for giving; highlights the progress that we've made in combating world poverty in the past century, as well as the progress we're capable of making in the future; and shares stories about people, organizations and methods that have made cost-effective, demonstrably successful contributions to reducing human suffering. The tenth anniversary edition is updated with the latest data on world poverty, as well as Singer's responses to the progress he's seen and the comments he's received since the book's original publication in 2009.
I first heard about Peter Singer in Nigel Warburton's A Little History of Philosophy, part of the wonderful Little Histories series and a book I highly recommend to young people as an accessible and entertaining introduction to philosophy. Warburton, who wrote each of his chapters on a different philosopher and their ideas, wrote his final chapter about Singer - labeling him as a modern standard-bearer of the Socratic tradition, a man who asked tough questions about our moral responsibilities and lived his own life in accordance with the answers he came to.
After reading The Life You Can Save, I think Warburton's description of Singer is spot-on. The Life You Can Save challenged me to think deeply about my own obligations to the poor, and it did so through clear and coherent argumentation, powerful and provocative thought experiments, and ample hard data and real-world evidence about the possibilities of effective altruism. Not only is Singer's reasoning extraordinarily compelling and thorough, the book is also a fascinating read. I've learned so much about the state of poverty in the world, and the possibilities for progress. And I'm left optimistic about our prospects of achieving those possibilities.
I absolutely and unconditionally recommend The Life You Can Save to everyone.
Comentarios