EPISODE · Jul 21, 2026 · 26 MIN
307: My Vegan “Personal Curriculum” - Peter Singer's Animal Liberation Now.
from Vedge Your Best, Vegan Ideas for Everyone At Any Age · host Michele Olender
What happens when you stop letting the algorithm choose what you learn and start building your own course of study?In the first installment of my summer" personal curriculum," I open Peter Singer’s Animal Liberation Now: The Definitive Classic Renewed, the updated 2023 edition of his influential 1975 book, Animal Liberation.Why start here? Singer’s work supplied much of the vocabulary and philosophical framework still used in conversations about animals today. We break down speciesism, sentience, utilitarianism, and the difference between animal welfare and animal rights—without assuming you already speak the language of philosophy. ( Because I don’t.)We look at factory farming and animal experimentation, how Singer weighs a human preference for taste or price against an animal’s interest in avoiding suffering, and why the question of plant sentience does not necessarily weaken the vegan case.There are criticisms of Singer’s work, including disability-rights objections to his views on euthanasia and profound cognitive disability.This episode is neither a blanket endorsement nor a takedown. It is an invitation to read critically, understand some of the ideas that helped shape modern animal ethics, and decide what holds up for you.IN THIS EPISODEWhat a personal curriculum is—and why it can be an antidote to fragmented, algorithm-driven learningWhy Animal Liberation Now is the first book in my vegan personal curriculum• Speciesism and the equal consideration of interests• Utilitarianism explained in plain EnglishThe difference between animal welfare and animal rightsFactory farming, laboratory research, and the scale of animal suffering• Singer’s most controversial arguments and disability-rights criticismWhy plant sentience does not necessarily undermine the vegan caseFood, memory, displacement, and the Viennese recipes that close the bookCONTENT NOTEThis episode includes discussion of factory farming, animal experimentation, animal suffering, euthanasia, disability rights, and ethically complex questions involving infants with profound, life-limiting disabilities.What subject would you choose for a personal curriculum of your own? And how does this new series land for you—intriguing, too academic, or exactly the nudge you needed? Reach out and let me know.The next personal-curriculum book episode will arrive in a couple of weeks. Until then, I’ll be here every week to cheer you on as you Vedge Your Best.Subscribe & Review:If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform. Your feedback helps us grow and share the message of plant-based living with more listeners.For more information, to submit a question or topic, or to book a free 30 minute Coaching session visit veganatanyage.com or email [email protected] Music, Production, and Editing by Charlie Weinshank. For inquiries email: [email protected] Virtual Support Services: https://proadminme.com/
Embed this episode
Ready to play
307: My Vegan “Personal Curriculum” - Peter Singer's Animal Liberation Now.
No transcript for this episode yet
Similar Episodes
No similar episodes found.
Similar Podcasts
No similar podcasts found.