Who Is Peter Singer? Age, Biography and Wiki
Peter Singer was born on July 6, 1946, making him 78 years old in 2025. He is celebrated not only for his profound philosophical insights but also for his activism in animal rights and effective altruism. Singer's most notable works include Animal Liberation (1975), which brought attention to the ethical treatment of animals and has earned him a prominent place in contemporary ethical discussions. He currently resides in Australia and is a professor at Princeton University, where his teachings continue to inspire new generations of philosophers.
| Occupation | Philosophers |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | July 6, 1946 |
| Age | 78 Years |
| Birth Place | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Horoscope | Cancer |
| Country | Australia |
Popularity
Peter Singer's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
Though specific details about Peter Singer's height and weight are not publicly documented, he is often perceived as an individual who maintains a healthy lifestyle. As he continues to engage in public speaking and lectures worldwide, his appearance reflects his commitment to both mental and physical well-being.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
As of 2025, Peter Singer is married to Renata Singer, who is an important part of his life and work. The couple has three children, and together, they embody a shared commitment to ethical living, reflected in both their personal lives and philanthropic efforts. While there has been mention of Singer's professional collaborations with various scholars and activists, there are no public records indicating any romantic involvements outside of his marriage.
His parents were Austrian Jews who immigrated to Australia from Vienna after Austria's annexation (Anschluss) by Nazi Germany in 1938, and settled in Melbourne.
His paternal grandparents were taken by the Nazis to Łódź, and were most likely murdered, since they were never heard from again; his maternal grandfather David Ernst Oppenheim (1881–1943), an educator and psychologist who collaborated with Sigmund Freud and Alfred Adler, was murdered in the Theresienstadt concentration camp.
Oppenheim was a member of the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society and wrote a joint article with Sigmund Freud, before joining the Adlerian Society for Individual Psychology. Singer later wrote a biography of Oppenheim.
Net Worth and Salary
Peter Singer's net worth is estimated to be around $5 million in 2025. His earnings stem from his academic positions, books, public speaking engagements, and various philanthropic endeavors. Singer's work not only speaks to his intellectual contributions but also highlights his financial success in the field of ethics and philosophy.
His own organisation, The Life You Can Save (TLYCS), recommends a selection of charities deemed by charity evaluators such as GiveWell to be the most effective when it comes to helping those in extreme poverty.
TLYCS was founded after Singer released his 2009 eponymous book, in which he argues more generally in favour of giving to charities that help to end global poverty.
In particular, he expands upon some of the arguments made in his 1972 essay "Famine, Affluence, and Morality", in which he posits that citizens of rich nations are morally obligated to give at least some of their disposable income to charities that help the global poor.
He supports this using the "drowning child analogy", which states that most people would rescue a drowning child from a pond, even if it meant that their expensive clothes were ruined.
He argues that similarly, lives could be saved, notably by donating to effective charities, and that as a result a significant portion of the money spent on unnecessary possessions should instead be donate to charity.
Since November 2009, Singer is a member of Giving What We Can, an international organisation whose members pledge to give at least 10% of their income to effective charities.
Career, Business and Investments
Throughout his distinguished career, Peter Singer has held positions at prestigious institutions, including Monash University and Princeton University. His philosophical contributions have shaped debates on utilitarianism, ethics concerning global poverty, and animal rights. Singer is also known for advocating effective altruism, promoting ways individuals can use their resources to make a significant impact on the world.
In addition to his academic roles, he has written several influential books, including The Life You Can Save and Famine, Affluence, and Morality. His business endeavors include investing in ethical organizations and supporting initiatives that align with his philosophy of reducing suffering and promoting welfare.
Peter Albert David Singer (born 6 July 1946) is an Australian moral philosopher who is Emeritus Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics at Princeton University. Singer's work specialises in applied ethics, approaching the subject from a secular, utilitarian perspective.
He wrote the book Animal Liberation (1975), in which he argues for vegetarianism, and the essay "Famine, Affluence, and Morality", which argues the moral imperative of donating to help the poor around the world. For most of his career, he was a preference utilitarian.
He revealed in The Point of View of the Universe (2014), coauthored with Katarzyna de Lazari-Radek, that he had become a hedonistic utilitarian.
Social Network
Peter Singer is active on various social media platforms, including Twitter and Facebook, where he shares insights on contemporary ethical issues. His engagement not only fosters discussion among his followers but also influences public discourse surrounding morality and ethics.
The book analyzes why and how living beings' interests should be weighed. According to Singer, ethics requires an impartial, "universal" perspective and proposes the principle of equal consideration of interests.
This does not mean equal treatment, as different interests (e.g., avoiding pain versus cultivating abilities) warrant different treatment, and factors like diminishing marginal utility can affect how similar interests are treated (e.g., a starving person's interest in food over a slightly hungry person's).
The fundamental criterion for a being to have interests warranting equal consideration is sentience, defined as the capacity for suffering or happiness.
Sentient beings also have interests in developing their abilities, in satisfying basic needs for food and shelter, in enjoying warm personal relationships, in being free to pursue one's projects without interference, "and many others". The conclusion is that one must adopt the course of action that likely maximises the interests of those affected.
Education
Peter Singer completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Melbourne before earning a Bachelor of Arts (BA) from the University of Oxford. His academic journey and rigorous training in philosophy equipped him with the tools to critically analyze moral issues, leading to his impactful writing and teaching career.
In June 2011, Singer joined the professoriate of New College of the Humanities, a private college in London, in addition to his work at Princeton. He gave his last lecture at Princeton in 2023, and has retired. He has been a regular contributor to Project Syndicate since 2001.
