What grounds morality... and who counts? Is morality hardwired into us by evolution, shaped by culture, or guided by religion? In this live edition of the Unbelievable? Podcast recorded in London and hosted by public philosopher Jack Symes, four leading thinkers explore the origins and future of ethical thought.
From the role of emotions in our moral choices to the ethics of animal rights and cross-cultural disagreements, this conversation tackles one of humanity’s most enduring questions: what does it mean to be good?
Joining us are:
Peter Singer: World-renowned utilitarian philosopher and animal rights advocate (Professor of Bioethics, Princeton University)Jessica Frazier: Oxford scholar of comparative religion and Indian philosophy (Fellow, Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies)Richard Swinburne: Leading Christian philosopher and defender of theism (Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, University of Oxford)Alex O’Connor: Atheist thinker and host of Within Reason PodcastProduced by Theora Media x Unbelievable? x Within Reason,

00:00 Exploring the Roots of Morality
05:13 The Evolution of Moral Reasoning
11:00 The Role of Emotions in Ethics
17:33 Moral Disagreement and Its Implications
23:52 The Intersection of Ethics and Religion
30:04 Animal Rights and Moral Considerations
36:32 Cultural Perspectives on Morality
42:52 The Future of Moral Philosophy

Link to related content Alex O'Connor debates Ben Shapiro https://youtu.be/yspPYcJHI3k and Richard Swinburne debates Philip Goff https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQmBJDc2FCY

For Today's Guests: Richard Swinburne: users.ox.ac.uk/~orie0087
Jessica Frazier: theology.ox.ac.uk/people/dr-jessica-frazier
Jack Symes: jacksymes.co.uk
Alex O’Connor: alexoconnor.com
Peter Singer: petersinger.info

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Released on 27 Jun 2025