7 October, One Year Later with Philosopher David Benatar

Until recently, David Benatar was a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, where he also directed the university’s Bioethics Centre. He is widely known for his controversial and challenging views on topics like antinatalism—captured in his groundbreaking book Better Never to Have Been: The Harm of Coming into Existence—which argues that bringing new life into the world inevitably leads to suffering.

In addition to his work on antinatalism, Benatar has written extensively on practical ethics, morality, and human suffering, and his most recent contributions to Quillette have focused on the conflict in Israel and rising antisemitism in the Anglosphere.

In this conversation, we reflect on the anniversary of 7 October and the ethical questions it raises. The conversation concludes with a discussion of his new book, Very Practical Ethics: Engaging Everyday Moral Questions (2024).


00:00 Intro
01:29 Reflections on October 7th: Lessons Learned
03:19 Historical Context of Jewish Persecution
06:12 The Complexity of Anti-Semitism
08:36 The Ethics of Statehood and National Identity
11:03 The Future of Israel: A Global Concern
12:29 Cultural Perspectives on Democracy
14:24 South Africa's Stance on Israel
16:51 Violence and Justification in Conflict
19:10 The Taboos of Pro-Israel Sentiment
21:14 The Underlying Ideologies of Conflict
23:18 Understanding Proportionality in Warfare
25:42 Religion's Role in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
28:04 Ethical Frameworks and Cultural Differences
30:57 The Quest for Universal Ethics
31:52 Practical Ethics in Everyday Life

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Quillette is an Australian-based online magazine that focuses on long-form analysis and cultural commentary. It is politically non-partisan, but relies on reason, science, and humanism as its guiding values.

Quillette was founded in 2015 by Australian writer Claire Lehmann. It is a platform for free thought and a space for open discussion and debate on a wide range of topics, including politics, culture, science, and technology.

Quillette has gained attention for publishing articles and essays that challenge modern heterodoxy on a variety of topics, including gender and sexuality, race and identity politics, and free speech and censorship.

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