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Peter Singer speaking at a Veritas Forum event. Photo By Joel Travis Sage –

Top 10 Amazing Facts about Peter Singer

Peter Albert David Singer is the most famous and influential contemporary utilitarian philosopher. He is an established author and the current professor of Bioethics at Ira W. DeCamp, Princeton University.

The Australia Professor was born in Melbourne in July 1946. His father was a successful tea and coffee importer while his mother was a doctor. Singer was raised in a non-religious family and grew up as an atheist.

Peter married Renata Diamond, a novelist and author, in 1968. Renata collaborated with Singer in the book The Moral of The Story: Ethics Through Literature (2005). The two have three children namely Ruth, Marion, and Esther.

Singer studied history, philosophy, and law at the University of Melbourne. He continued with his maters and moved to Oxford to further his study in philosophy. He lectured at Radcliffe University, Oxford and New York University before moving back to Melbourne.

Peter’s books have been translated into more than 25 different languages. Some of his works have also been incorporated into law in several nations. Due to his undeniable contribution to philosophy and bioethics, Singer was awarded the 2012 Companion of the Order of Australia.

 Currently, he serves on the advisory board for Academics Stand Against Poverty (ASAP), Animal Charity Evaluators, and the Incentives for Global Health. He is also the founder of The Life You Can Save, an NGO that recommends a selection of the most effective charities aimed at reducing the rate of poverty.

1. Singer’s Parents Were Displaced From Vienna During The Austria Annexation

The Nazi’s played a key factor in the disintegration and relocation of Singer’s family. His paternal grandparents were relocated to Lodz while his maternal grandfather, Ernst Oppenheim died in a concentration camp.

 Singer’s parents move from Vienna to Melbourne as a result of Austria’s annexation. Both escaped concentration camps and sought refuge in Australia.

2. He Published His First Article In His Mid-Twenties

Singer was passionate about community initiatives and social work. He published his first article Famine, Affluence and Morality in 1971.

The article expressed Peter’s possible causes for starting up charities to prevent death from starvation. In addition, he wrote a guide on how to set up charities using different methods.

3. Singer’s Research Thesis Was Officially Published As A Book

After completing his master’s program at the University of Melbourne in 1969, Peter received a scholarship to continue his education. He enrolled in the Bachelor of Philosophy Doctorate degree at the University of Oxford.

He successfully graduated in 1971 and became a PhD holder in Political Science and law. The book Democracy and Disobedience (1973) is based on his doctoral thesis. It discusses the disobedience in democratic governments using a development case study in Northern Ireland.

4. He Became A Vegetarian After Taking Interest In Animal Rights

Vegetable Skewer. Photo By Rita –

As Singer was undertaking his Ph.D. studies at Balliol College in Oxford, he was intrigued by Richard Kenshin, a friend and fellow student who was a vegetarian. His interest in the consumption of meat and its effects on animals led him to read Animal Machines (1964) by Ruth Harrison.

 As a result, Singer became a vegetarian. His lifestyle changes also prompted his adamant expression on animal rights by which he wrote several books.

5. Singer Popularized The Term Speciesism

The term Speciesism was introduced in 1970 by Richard Ryder but became popular after Singer’s widely praised book, ‘Animal Liberation’ also known as the ‘bible’ of the animal liberation movement. According to Singer, speciesism was the discrimination and biasness of one species against another.

In the book, Singer touched on animal welfare and the human categorization of animals. He was also in support of veganism and vegetarianism, both of which were methods of reducing animal slaughter.

Singer’s other books on ethical consideration and rights of animals include Animals Rights and Human Obligation: An Anthology (1976) and Animal Factories (1980).

6. Singer Was The Founder Of The First Bioethics Centre In Australia

Peter was the first director to be appointed in the Centre for Human Bioethics, a research and teaching centre of Monash University. He was also the founder of the International Association of Bioethics and served as the Chair of Philosophy at the University.

7. He Dedicated His Late 1900s To Literary Works

A collection of Books. Photo By Pexels –

Peter wrote numerous books between 1980 and 1990 with the goal of transforming his revolutionary thoughts into literary works. ‘Hegel’ (1982), ‘The Reproduction Revolution: New Ways of Making Babies’ (1985), ‘Ethical and Legal Issues in Guardianship Options for Intellectually Disadvantaged People’ (1986), and ‘Animal Liberation: A Graphic Guide’ (1987) are some the books published in the 1980s.

In the 1990s, Peter published 7 additional books his most significant being A Companion to Ethics’ (1991), ‘Save the Animals!’ (1991), ‘Embryo Experimentation’ (1993), and ‘The Great Ape Project: Equality Beyond Humanity (1995)’.

8. Singer Was Named 100 Most Influential People In The World

In 2009, Time Magazine, a well-recognized publication, listed Peter as one of the hundred most influential people in the world. Furthermore, the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper named him as one of the ten most influential public intellectuals in 2005.

9. He Unsuccessfully Ran For Political Office Twice

The Australia Flag, a representation of Australia. Photo By Marius Oberholster –

Peter joined his first political party, the Australian Labor Party, in 1974. He was disappointed with the party’s leadership, resigned, and formed the Australian Green party.

After the resignation of Andrew Peacock from Kooyong, Peter opted to contest for the sit during the Kooyong by-election, under Greens Party, in 1994. He was in second place after losing to Petro Georgiou, a member of the Liberal Party of Australia.

He attempted the position of the lead senate in the 1996 federal election under the Greens Party but lost.

10. Singer Is One Of The Most Outspoken Critics Of The America Government

Peter Singer philisopher. Photo By L214 / Les Parasites –

Singer criticized the American government for trading commodities from countries led by unethical dictators. He termed it as buying stolen goods and aiding in maintaining the poverty rate of those countries.

Peter also expressed his disappointment in the U.S Foreign aid policy and private philanthropy. He holds that the country should be doing more than it is to eradicate extreme poverty in the country.