Professor turns philosophy into concrete action

New London - For Peter Singer, the discipline of philosophy isn't just about thinking, or thinking about thinking.

Instead, it's very much about doing.

Singer, professor of bioethics at Princeton University, is considered one of the world's pre-eminent contemporary philosophers - a distinction that might seem unremarkable outside the arcane and insular world of academic philosophy. Yet the Australian native, considered one of the chief architects of the modern animal-rights movement, has distinguished himself outside that world with his provocative ideas on how a person should live ethically in the modern world.

While not exactly a household name or pop culture darling, he has appeared twice on Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report," was the subject of a 2003 BBC documentary titled, "Singer: A Dangerous Mind," and was named one of the world's most influential people in 2005 by Time Magazine. This summer, he wrote an article for The New York Times Magazine titled, "Why We Must Ration Health Care."

"I got into philosophy by accident, after reading Bertrand Russell," Singer, 63, said in a phone interview Wednesday. "I decided I didn't want to spend my life as a theorist, thinking about questions I couldn't answer anyway, like, 'Is this conversation with you really a dream?' So I got involved in ethics and politics, which are most connected to real life and can make a difference."

On Friday, the southeastern Connecticut community will have a chance to hear Singer speak at a program at Connecticut College. Much of his half-hour talk, which will be followed by a panel discussion and then an audience question-and-answer session, will focus on the message of his latest book, "The Life You Can Save: Action Now to End World Poverty."

"We are not meeting our obligations as it relates to the world's poor," said Singer, who says on his Web site that he donates about one-quarter of his income to Oxfam and other organizations, and hopes to increase his giving.

He advocates living an ethical life based not so much on avoiding wrongful acts, but on seeking out ways of doing the most good for the world. In his talk, he said, he will recommend particular charities he believes are making the best use of the donations they receive, as a way of assuaging the uncertainty some may have about giving because they're unsure if their donation will be used effectively.

Singer is also promoting observances this Saturday of "350 Day" so named for the parts per million of carbon dioxide in earth's atmosphere that NASA climate scientist Jim Hansen says should not be exceeded if the world is to avoid the most severe effects of climate change. Described as an "International Day of Climate Action," the event was conceived to call attention to the need for action to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and to the devastating effects climate change could have on the world's poorest people.

"While it's the richest nations that contribute the most carbon dioxide," Singer said, "it's the poorest nations that will suffer the most for it, because their economies are based on agriculture, and they have the fewest resources to combat the effects of climate change. We have a very weighty responsibility based on the harm we are doing to the world's poor."

Advocating social change, he acknowledged, does bring with it increasingly harsh cynicism and hate speech from critics that can be difficult to endure. But the alternative - passive acceptance of the status quo - is even more unattractive, he said.

"It is a big challenge," he said. "But I just do what I can, and if other people just do what they can, it's better than doing nothing."

j.benson@theday.com