Philosophy Bites · Edmonds and Warburton

David Edmonds on Peter Singer's Shallow Pond Thought Experiment

October 5, 2025·19 min·1 clip

David Edmonds explains Peter Singer's shallow pond thought experiment: would you save a drowning child or your expensive shoes?

David Edmonds discusses Peter Singer's shallow pond thought experiment, which argues that we have a moral obligation to help distant strangers in poverty just as we would save a drowning child. The conversation explores Singer's utilitarian philosophy, the demandingness of his views, the rise of effective altruism, and critiques from figures like Angus Deaton about aid effectiveness.

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