BRACU honours philosopher Peter Singer

BRAC University has conferred its inaugural Honorary Fellowship on Australian moral philosopher Professor Peter Singer in recognition of his contributions to moral philosophy, effective altruism, bioethics and animal rights.

Tamara Hasan Abed, chairperson of the university’s Board of Trustees, and Vice-Chancellor Professor Syed Ferhat Anwar presented the fellowship at the university’s Merul Badda campus in Dhaka on Thursday.

The Honorary Fellowship is the highest honour the university can offer. It was awarded in memory of Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, founder of BRAC and BRAC University.

The citation, read out by Professor Anwar, highlighted Singer’s contributions to moral philosophy, international development and social impact. It referred to his 1972 essay Famine, Affluence and Morality, his 1975 book Animal Liberation, his role as founder and chair of the board of The Life You Can Save, and his more than 50 books.

The citation said Singer’s work “resonates with the vision” of Sir Fazle Hasan Abed and reflected the university’s commitment to academic excellence and societal impact.

“Your work asks a simple question: when we have the means to help, what should we do? That question has particular meaning for BRAC University,” Tamara Hasan Abed said.
She said the university wanted its students to consider how they would use the opportunities provided by education and who could benefit from their decisions.

Welcoming Singer to Bangladesh for the first time in the year of his 80th birthday, she said, “We are so honored to welcome you to Bangladesh for the very first time, and to BRAC University as one of our own.”

Accepting the fellowship, Singer said the recognition was particularly meaningful because it came from a university founded on the ideals of Sir Fazle Hasan Abed. He described it as a community of scholars “searching for truth, searching for knowledge, allowing free inquiry and free expression”.

Before the ceremony, Singer took part in a fireside chat with Asif Saleh, executive director of BRAC.

Saleh recalled that Singer was a young philosopher at Oxford in November 1971 when he watched news of the crackdown in Bengal and millions of refugees crossing into India.

Singer’s response was the essay Famine, Affluence and Morality, published in 1972. It marked the beginning of five decades of work on the responsibilities of people in wealthy countries towards those living in poverty, Saleh said.

During his first visit to Bangladesh, Singer said he had seen “a vigorous country, which is bustling with activity”. He described the country’s progress as “an inspiring success story”.

He also visited BRAC’s ultra-poor graduation programme, which he cited as an example of effective altruism. He explained that the movement encouraged people to make helping others an important goal, while stressing that their efforts should produce measurable results.

Singer said the programme had been tested through pilot studies, evaluated and expanded after evidence supported its effectiveness. It has also been introduced in several other countries.

Discussing the role of businesses in social welfare, Singer said capitalism could be reformed. He said he had recently helped establish Profit for Good, an initiative encouraging businesses to use part of their profits for social causes.

“We are encouraging companies to commit to donating at least 10% of their profits to those good causes. And we’re encouraging consumers to look out for those companies,” he said.

The initiative was founded with the School of Moral Ambition, a Dutch organisation established by historian Rutger Bregman that also has an office in New York City. The organisation runs courses for entrepreneurs seeking to direct their ambitions towards ethical goals, Singer said.

Having retired from Princeton two years ago, he said he wanted to spend less time writing and take “a more active role” in areas where his contribution could have the greatest impact.

Singer also cited people who had donated a kidney to strangers, saying their decisions illustrated altruism.

Responding to a question from Saleh about artificial intelligence and its impact on countries such as Bangladesh, Singer described both opportunities and risks.

He said AI could provide people worldwide with access to high-level healthcare advice through an internet connection. However, he warned that the technology could cause significant job losses.

He said efforts were needed to prevent wealth from shifting from workers to technology companies in affluent countries. One possible measure, he suggested, was requiring companies whose technology caused unemployment to contribute to a universal basic income.

Singer also stressed that employment provided people with activity and purpose, making it important to value work that machines could not perform.

Referring to his visit to Aarong, he said handprinting and hand embroidery continued to provide employment and had distinctive value that machines should not replace.
Australian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Susan Ryle attended the ceremony as a guest.