Since ethics is much in the news these days, both its presence and its absence, the time seemed right, for my Above and Beyond project, to invite to the studio for portraits and an interview one of the most renowned ethicists of our time. Peter Singer is a 73-year-old Australian-born professor, philosopher, and author whose 1975 book, “Animal Liberation: A New Ethics for our Treatment of Animals,” is the “Silent Spring” of animal rights.

He teaches at the University of Melbourne and Princeton University, and is a central figure in the increasingly important field of bioethics.

Time magazine has named Singer among the 100 most influential people in the world.  In 2012 the Australian Government made him a Companion of the Order of Australia, the nation’s highest civilian honor. Singer is a co-founder of Animals Australia and the founder of The Life You Can Save. He has written 29 books and innumerable scholarly articles.

Click on the arrow to watch and listen (7 minutes and 16 seconds).

The participants in this project have been selected for their exceptional achievements; they include scientists, authors, playwrights, designers, musicians, artists, philosophers, etc.

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