Practical Ethics, first published in 1979 by the Australian philosopher Peter Singer, is a systematic examination of moral issues grounded in contemporary utilitarianism. The book aims to demonstrate how ethical reasoning can be applied to real-world dilemmas, addressing topics such as abortion, euthanasia, animal welfare, global poverty, environmental responsibilities, and the moral status of future generations. Singer rejects moral principles derived solely from tradition or intuition, instead favouring a consistent approach based on the equal consideration of interests.
The work expands upon Singer’s preference utilitarianism, which evaluates actions by their capacity to satisfy the preferences of all affected parties. In doing so, Singer challenges widely held assumptions about personhood, rights, and moral responsibility. For example, he argues that the capacity to suffer or experience enjoyment is the basis for moral consideration, leading him to advocate strong protections for animals and to critique practices such as factory farming and animal experimentation.
Practical Ethics also engages with sensitive issues such as voluntary and non-voluntary euthanasia, arguing that traditional distinctions between killing and letting die often lack moral relevance. Singer evaluates the implications of medical technology, resource allocation, and end-of-life decisions through a utilitarian framework. The book further discusses obligations toward people living in extreme poverty, claiming that affluent individuals have significant moral duties to assist when doing so imposes relatively small burdens.
Singer addresses environmental ethics by treating climate change, resource use, and species preservation as matters requiring impartial evaluation of long-term consequences. Throughout, he emphasises rational argumentation, empirical evidence, and logical consistency.
The book has been widely used in university courses and public debates, influencing bioethics, animal rights theory, and global justice movements. While controversial in several areas, Practical Ethics remains a central text in applied moral philosophy due to its rigorous analysis of complex ethical questions and its challenge to conventional moral assumptions.