A Morality Pill?

Peter Singer and Agata Sagan had an opinion piece in The New York Times this past Sunday, which asks whether we’re ready for a morality pill. The essay describes the variation between humans (as well as rats) regarding empathy and willingness to come to another’s aid. Both humans and rats lie along a spectrum, which raises an interesting question. Could we medicate ourselves to be more compassionate and caring, and if so, would we? If we developed such a morality pill, should we offer prisoners the choice between such medicine and prison? After reading their essay, what do you think of their questions?


For a humane world,

Zoe Weil, President, Institute for Humane Education
Author of Most Good, Least Harm, Above All, Be Kind, and The Power and Promise of Humane Education
My TEDx talk: “The World Becomes What You Teach"

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