Vendor
	Mohrbooks Literary Agency Marie Arendt

THE MORAL CIRCLE

Jeff Sebo

Who Matters, What Matters, and Why

A philosopher calls for a revolution in ethics, suggesting we expand our "moral circle" to include insects, microbes, and even AI systems.

Today, human exceptionalism is the norm. Despite occasional nods to animal welfare, we prioritize humankind, often neglecting the welfare of a vast number of beings. In The Moral Circle, philosopher Jeff Sebo challenges us to include all potentially significant beings in our moral community, with transformative implications for our lives and societies. As the dominant species, humanity must ask: which nonhumans matter, how much do they matter, and what do we owe them in a world reshaped by human activity and technology? The Moral Circle explores provocative case studies, such as lawsuits over captive elephants and debates over factory-farmed insects, and compels us to consider future ethical quandaries, such as whether to send microbes to new planets, and whether to create simulated worlds filled with digital minds. Taking an expansive view of human responsibility, Sebo argues that building a positive future requires radically rethinking our place in the world. Jeff Sebo is associate professor of environmental studies; affiliated professor of bioethics, medical ethics, philosophy, and law; and director of the Mind, Ethics, and Policy Program at New York University. He lives in Manhattan.

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Book Published 2025-01-01 by W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. - New York (USA)

Comments

Does what happen to an insect, a plant, or a robot, matter to them? Compelling thought experiments make The Moral Circle a fascinating read. Sebo's conclusion that we owe a lot to a vast number and wide range of beings will surely expand readers' empathy and compassion.

Albert Einstein said our task is to widen 'our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures.' Jeff Sebo would agree. But in this book Sebo shows us how complicated?and disconcerting?things get when we consider what that moral circle would include?and whether we can really justify leaving any living thing outside the boundaries of our moral concern. Elephants, pretty easy. Bugs? Plants? Plankton? You will disagree with parts of this book, but your own disagreement will leave you feeling uncomfortable, because the moral arguments are indeed strong; they challenge the self-interests that have shaped the ways we have treated?and mistreated?other beings.

In The Moral Circle, Jeff Sebo defends, with engaging examples and plausible arguments, a disturbing conclusion: that the expansion of the moral circle beyond our own species, for which I have argued, does not go nearly far enough. I expect this book to trigger an important debate.