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Rating: 
Summary: Every person on this planet should read this book!
Review: An extremely important and relevant work from a highly intelligent,committed and ethical individual.Singer's clear and readable expounding of an enlightening yet surprisingly simple ethical outlook definitely has the potential to change, for the better, a readers approach both to their own life and to their relationships to others, both human and non-human.An absolute gem!
Rating:
Summary: Every person on this planet should read this book!
Review: An extremely important and relevant work from a highly intelligent,committed and ethical individual.Singer's clear and readable expounding of an enlightening yet surprisingly simple ethical outlook definitely has the potential to change, for the better, a readers approach both to their own life and to their relationships to others, both human and non-human.An absolute gem!
Rating:
Summary: You must read this book!
Review: Peter Singer has deliverd a masterpiece. He mangages to impart great amounts of information in a clear, readable style. This is not just a book for those interested in philosophy, but for anyone who has ever asked "What does my life's work mean anyways?" A convincing argument for the ethical life.
Rating:
Summary: An audacious undertaking, and Singer pulls it off
Review: Singer compellingly shows how our misunderstanding of self-interest has led us to the brink of social and ecological disaster. He unmasks the errors that have led us down this path. Best of all, he offers an alternative -- a new understanding of self-interest, one that embraces both altruism and ethical integrity. What a humane and reasonable book!To be sure, the book is not perfect. The chapter on Japan is dated, and the passages on animal rights and feminism are too brief to be more than "thought-starters." More importantly, Singer is sometimes less than balanced in his criticisms of other thinkers (e.g., Socrates, Kant, Jesus, Franklin). But the virtues of the book, including it's readability, far outweigh it's limitations. Students in my Moral Issues course found the book engaging and illuminating.
Rating:
Summary: An audacious undertaking, and Singer pulls it off
Review: Singer tackles "the big one," the meaning of life, in this book, and damned if he doesn't figure it out. In my opinion. (Your mileage may vary.) His approach is take you through a few thousand years of philosophy/economics/political science to get to the answer that a life spent trying to help others and reduce suffering is really the most moral, and most fulfilling one. It's a fascinating, and important, book. OK. I do have one small quibble. (Forgive me, I'm a quibbler.) Singer, correctly, I think, sees some uses of psychotherapy as self-indulgent and an attempt to rationalize away the moral emptiness that comes from leading a materialistically oriented life. However, I think he underestimates the need for people to come to terms with the forces that create a self that can't keep its "owner" from suffering. You have to be able to help yourself as well as others. The process of individuation, of becoming your own creative person, is important in human happiness. It's not as moral as purely devoting yourself to others, but I think there is room for both. I don't think Singer would disagree (maybe he would?). That, I think minor, quibble aside, I think the book is a really cool exploration of a really important question that we all ask ourselves, but that few (non-religious types) have spent enough time thinking about. I, for one, am glad that Peter Singer is around and thinking about it.
Rating: 
Summary: Okay
Review: The book started out interesting, but after that, I don't think he has much to offer. It's like, he is telling you something you have already known.
Rating:
Summary: Okay
Review: The book started out interesting, but after that, I don't think he has much to offer. It's like, he is telling you something you have already known.
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