Why shouldn’t one be a moral satisficer? I’m a satisficer in most things. I’d do better on the piano if I practiced longer and more regularly, but I’m happy with late intermediate/early advanced, etc. And I’m satisfied with the results of my satisficing in most things. And I’m satisfied with roughly a B- goodness rating—which given grade inflation is about average. Why should being being moral be any different from working at the piano or anything else in this regard? Or do you agree that moral satisficing is satisfactory?
As it happens, more or less simultaneously with this AMA, there is a Pea Soup discussion going on in response to a text about my views by Johann Frick. My response to Johann is relevant to this question, even though it doesn’t use the satisficing terminology. But do take a look:
I’m going to stop answering your questions now, as I’ve got other things I need to do as well as the Pea Soup discussion, including preparing for the next interview for the Lives Well Lived podcast I am doing with Kasia de Lazari-Radek. If you are not familiar with it, check it out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc etc. We have interviews up with Jane Goodall, Yuval Harari, Ingrid Newkirk, Daniel Kahneman (sadly, recorded shortly before his death) and others.
But here is some good news—you can try asking your questions to Peter Singer AI! Seriously—become a paid subscriber to my Substack, and it’s available now (and, EAs, all funds raised will be donated to The Life You Can Save’s recommended charities). Eventually we will open it up to everyone, but we want to test it first and would value your comments.
Why shouldn’t one be a moral satisficer? I’m a satisficer in most things. I’d do better on the piano if I practiced longer and more regularly, but I’m happy with late intermediate/early advanced, etc. And I’m satisfied with the results of my satisficing in most things. And I’m satisfied with roughly a B- goodness rating—which given grade inflation is about average. Why should being being moral be any different from working at the piano or anything else in this regard? Or do you agree that moral satisficing is satisfactory?
As it happens, more or less simultaneously with this AMA, there is a Pea Soup discussion going on in response to a text about my views by Johann Frick. My response to Johann is relevant to this question, even though it doesn’t use the satisficing terminology. But do take a look:
https://peasoupblog.com/2024/07/johann-frick-singer-without-utilitarianism-on-ecumenicalism-and-esotericism-in-practical-ethics/#comment-28935
I’m going to stop answering your questions now, as I’ve got other things I need to do as well as the Pea Soup discussion, including preparing for the next interview for the Lives Well Lived podcast I am doing with Kasia de Lazari-Radek. If you are not familiar with it, check it out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc etc. We have interviews up with Jane Goodall, Yuval Harari, Ingrid Newkirk, Daniel Kahneman (sadly, recorded shortly before his death) and others.
But here is some good news—you can try asking your questions to Peter Singer AI! Seriously—become a paid subscriber to my Substack, and it’s available now (and, EAs, all funds raised will be donated to The Life You Can Save’s recommended charities). Eventually we will open it up to everyone, but we want to test it first and would value your comments.
https://boldreasoningwithpetersinger.substack.com/
Thanks for all the questions, and sorry that I can’t answer them all.
Peter