Review of Examined Life (2008) by Colm M — 16 Oct 2010

Singer was the first one I recognized. He present his arguments that the money used for conspicuous consumption of luxury goods should be spent on rewarding reproductive irresponsibility. While $1,000 dollar shoes are obviously unethical, prolonging and potentially increasing the suffering of others isn't necessarily of any merit.

Singer is an interesting thinker because he takes "man is the measure of all things" to unusual conclusions. Infanticide of defective human newborns is OK on utilitarian and consequentialist grounds, but giving apes that are as smart as humans the ability to vote is pretty out there.

Shouldn't you be more worried about making sure the people that are as dumb as apes don't vote? Wisely the movie avoids these two controversial lines of thought and focuses on his idea that eating animals is wrong and helping is an obligation, much like not harming is.

Zizek was good, West's bookending was appropriate. Decent mix of pop-phil.