Death in a Shallow Pond: A Philosopher, a Drowning Child, and Strangers in Need

From the bestselling coauthor of Wittgenstein's Poker, a fascinating account of Peter Singer's controversial "drowning child" thought experiment--and how it changed the way people think about charitable giving Imagine this: You're walking past a shallow pond and spot a toddler thrashing around in the water, in obvious danger of drowning. You look around for her parents, but nobody is there. You're the only person who can save her and you must act immediately. But as you approach the pond you remember that you're wearing your most expensive shoes. Wading into the water will ruin them--and might make you late for a meeting. Should you let the child drown? The philosopher Peter Singer published this thought experiment in 1972, arguing that allowing people in the developing world to die, when we could easily help them by giving money to charity, is as morally reprehensible as saving our shoes instead of the drowning child. Can this possibly be true? In Death in a Shallow Pond, David Edmonds tells the remarkable story of Singer and his controversial idea, tracing how it radically changed the way many think about poverty--but also how it has provoked scathing criticisms. Death in a Shallow Pond describes the experiences and world events that led Singer to make his radical case and how it moved some young philosophers to establish the Effective Altruism movement, which tries to optimize philanthropy. The book also explores the reactions of critics who argue that the Shallow Pond and Effective Altruism are unrealistic, misguided, and counterproductive, neglecting the causes of--and therefore perpetuating--poverty. Ultimately, however, Edmonds argues that the Shallow Pond retains the power to shape how we live in a world in which terrible and unnecessary suffering persists.

About the Author :
David Edmonds is the bestselling author of many critically acclaimed and popular books on philosophy, including Wittgenstein's Poker (with John Eidinow). His other books include Parfit, The Murder of Professor Schlick, and Would You Kill the Fat Man? (all Princeton). A Distinguished Research Fellow at the University of Oxford's Uehiro Oxford Institute and a former BBC radio journalist, Edmonds hosts, with Nigel Warburton, the Philosophy Bites podcast, which has been downloaded nearly 50 million times.

Review :
"[Edmonds] transforms moral inquiry into a high-stakes adventure."-- "New Yorker" "An insightful assessment of the Shallow Pond thought experiment and the effective altruism movement it influenced. . . . [Edmonds'] analyses provide fascinating commentary on the ironies of a world in which extreme wealth coexists with poverty, famine, and preventable death. This is sure to spark debate."-- "Publishers Weekly" "Edmonds. . .presents a powerful moral challenge which should not be ducked."---Julian Baggini, Literary Review "[Edmonds] does a good job of explaining why the shallow pond cannot simply be dismissed. If it makes us uncomfortable - if we want to believe we are good people, yet continue to enjoy some luxuries rather than donate every spare penny to charity - the onus is us to explain why Singer is wrong. This is a debate with high stakes."---Alex Dean, Times Literary Supplement "Entertaining, even riveting. Edmonds is a lucid and engaging explicator of knotty philosophical tangles, and he brings the milieu he treats to life. "---Becca Rothfeld, Washington Post "The Shallow Pond has become the most influential fictional body of water since John Bunyan's Slough of Despond. . . . [Edmonds] follows its ripples all the way out. "---Dan Piepenbring, Harper's