I'm looking for a specific Peter Singer quote.

April 23, 2015 11:32 PM

Hi. Help me find the story Peter Singer tells in one of his books that says he went over to some couple's house for dinner. The couple were fans of his and excited to meet him, I think. They asked him what his favourite animals were. He says something like it is a common assumption that animal rights people are animal lovers who care about cute and cuddly things. He tells the story to illustrate the point that he defends animals not because they're nice, but because it is a matter of ethics and justice.

Googling 'cute and cuddly' brings a result from the intro of Animal Liberation that refers to racism, I'm not looking for that. Searching 'animal lovers' brings the same quote plus a letter to Richard Posner. Not looking for that either.

I specifically want the story about being asked what his favourite animals were and him saying that emotional attachment, finding them cute etc, is not what animal liberation is about.

I've been searching online and in my big pile of actual books and can't find it. I'm pretty sure it was in one of his books rather than in an anthology or journal article.
I really want to refer to it in a paper I'm writing.

Thank you.

posted by stellathon to Religion & Philosophy (4 answers total)

Best answer: Wasn't that in the intro to Animal Liberation?
posted by monocultured at 1:18 AM on April 24, 2015

Best answer: Yes, it's from the Preface to the 1975 edition.
posted by désoeuvrée at 1:59 AM on April 24, 2015

Best answer: Monocultured and désoeuvrée are correct. I have the book and I have memailed you.
posted by Cheese Monster at 4:57 AM on April 24, 2015

Response by poster: Thank you!
posted by stellathon at 7:05 AM on April 24, 2015