The 2015 Society for Applied Philosophy annual lecture was given by Professor Shelly Kagan of Yale University. 

Abstract: Peter Singer famously argued in Animal Liberation that almost all of us are speciesists, unjustifiably favoring the interests of humans over the similar interests of other animals.  Although I long found that charge compelling, I now find myself having doubts.  This paper starts by trying to get clear about the nature of speciesism, and then argues that Singer’s attempt to show that speciesism is a mere prejudice is unsuccessful.  But I also argue that most of us are not actually speciesists at all, but rather accept a view I call modal personism.  Although I am not confident that modal personism can be adequately defended, it is, at the very least, a philosophical view worthy of further consideration.    

2015 - SAP Annual Lecture: Shelly Kagan, 'What's Wrong with Speciesism?'

The Society for Applied Philosophy (UK) was founded in 1982 with the aim of promoting philosophical study and research that has a direct bearing on areas of practical concern. It arose from an increasing awareness that many topics of public debate are capable of being illuminated by the critical, analytic approach characteristic of philosophy, and by direct consideration of questions of value. These topics come from a number of different areas of social life - law, politics, economics, science, technology, medicine and education are among the most obvious. The purpose of the SAP is foster and promote philosophical work that is intended to make a constructive contribution to problems in these areas. It does so through workshops, conferences, and lecture programmes.

2015 - SAP Annual Lecture: Shelly Kagan, 'What's Wrong with Speciesism?'

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