34 - Jamie Woodhouse - Sentientism

25:04 Can we derive moral values from reason?
27:30 Veganism
42:20 The nature of sentience
53:20 AI
59:50 Humans versus non-humans
1:03:50 Cognitive dissonance in everyday life
1:08:20 Are the lives of endangered animals worth more? Is there a value to things even when humans can’t experience them?
1:17:20 Potential problems with sentientism
1:30:02 Humanists and their responses to sentientism

Jamie would love to hear your questions or feedback about Sentientism on Twitter at @jamiewoodhouse or @sentientism, via his website or on Medium.

“Sentientism,” writes Jamie, “is a simple, potentially unifying moral philosophy that commits to using evidence, applying reason and granting moral consideration to all sentient beings. It can be seen as an extension of secular humanism. People from over 50 countries are working to build a global community around sentientism. Anyone interested is welcome to participate, whether or not the term sentientism fits personally.” You can find some sentientist groups here:

• Facebook (public) https://www.facebook.com/Sentientism/
• Facebook (private) https://www.facebook.com/groups/sentientism/
• Twitter https://twitter.com/sentientism/lists/sentientists/members
• Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/Sentientism/
• GoodReads https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/840236-sentientism
• LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12263069/?fbclid=IwAR3aybCvf_mPkB72nufGvM9iyWpmpYZgdjqQwUNK5B2bclJxpxPGEXDmHK0
• Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sentientism/

Jamie’s writing on Sentientism has been published by Areo and by the Center For Inquiry’s Free Inquiry

Further References

Peter Singer: https://petersinger.info/

Sam Harris, The Moral Landscape: How Science Can Determine Human Values (2010)

My description of the Sanjay Gandhi national park: https://fireandvultures.wordpress.com/2017/10/25/india-diary-the-word-for-world-is-forest-trail-hiking-in-the-sanjay-gandhi-national-park/

The petition to save Aarey forest: https://www.change.org/p/cm-devendra-fadnavis-jica-stop-the-cutting-of-3500-trees-in-aarey-forest

Alan Weisman, The World Without Us (2007)

Derren Brown, Happy: Why More or Less Everything Is Absolutely Fine (2016)

Ursula K. Le Guin, “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” (1973)