The traditional view of the sanctity of human life will collapse under pressure from scientific, technological and demographic developments.

If we ever do find a better system, I'll be happy to call myself an anti-capitalist.

Ancient recipients of instant news probably couldn't do very much about it, for instance. Xerxes would still need three months to get his army together, and he might not get home for years.

There is a growing movement called effective altruism. It's important because it combines both the heart and the head.

If penicillin had been judged by its toxicity to guinea pigs, it might never have been used by man.

Human decision-making is complex. On our own, our tendency to yield to short-term temptations, and even to addictions, may be too strong for our rational, long-term planning.

Habits of thought lead us to brush aside descriptions of cruelty to animals as emotional, for "animal-lovers only"; or if not that, then anyway the problem is so trivial in comparison to the problems of human beings that no sensible person could give it time and attention. This too is a prejudice - for how can one know that a problem is trivial until one has taken the time to examine its extent?