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Work #1301 · Mid

The Expanding Circle

Peter Singer
1981 (1st ed.), 2011 (2nd ed.) · English
Ethical-philosophical work on sociobiology · Utilitarianism / Evolutionary ethics

Singer's 1981 work — proper-rational extension of moral concern

Attribute Fingerprint

Rows where works disagree are highlighted in gold. The full ontology grid is shown.

Attribute The Expanding Circle (Mid)
Time · Extent Infinite
Time · Ontological Status Substantival
Time · Grain Continuous
Time · Freedom Non-Deterministic
Time · Traversability Linear
Time · Dimensionality One
Time · Direction Uni-directional
Space · Extent Infinite
Space · Ontological Status Substantival
Space · Curvature Flat
Space · Dimensionality Three
Space · Locality Non-Local
Matter · Extent Infinite
Matter · Ontological Status Substantival
Matter · Conservation Conserved
Matter · Dimensionality Three
Matter · Locality Non-Local
Observer · Time Instance Single
Observer · Space Instance Single
Observer · Knowledge Extent Partial
Observer · Knowledge Retainment Total
Observer · Physicality Embodied
Observer · Agency Active
Observer · Number Plural
Observer · Metaphysical Agency None
Observer · Moral Authority Reason
Observer · Theological Method
Energy · Extent Infinite
Energy · Ontological Status Substantival
Energy · Conservation Conserved
Energy · Dispersibility Irreversible
Information · Ontological Status Substantival
Information · Cosmic Conservation Conserved
Information · Personal Conservation Conserved
Information · Granularity Discrete

Dimension-by-Dimension Evidence

What each work's passages reveal about its stance on each of the six dimensions.

Time

The Expanding Circle

The 1981 mid-Singer moment.

Space

The Expanding Circle

The contemporary ethical-evolutionary setting.

Matter

The Expanding Circle

The embodied ethical agents whose moral circle expands.

Observer

The Expanding Circle

Singer as proper-utilitarian evolutionary-ethics theorist.

Energy

The Expanding Circle

The ethical-evolutionary-philosophical energies.

Information

The Expanding Circle

The systematic content on moral-circle expansion.

Internal Tensions

Where each work's argument pulls against itself.

The Expanding Circle

The Expanding Circle has been variously assessed — defenders see major evolutionary-ethics work, critics question the proper-utilitarian-rationalist endpoint.