ersecution. Though not particularly religious themselves, Singer’s parents were eager for their children to be accepted into a society which stigmatized them for their heritage. Consequently, Singer and his sister were sent to Protestant schools and Singer did not learn to speak German until in high school and college. A good student, Singer went to Melbourne University, where he studied law, history and philosophy. He did his graduate work in moral and political philosophy at Oxford University, where he became a vegetarian in 1970, following many discussions with fellow graduate students about the oppression of animals, one form of which is the eating of meat. In 1975, he published Animal Liberation, a book often credited with being the foundation of the worldwide animal liberation movement. In this book, Singer declares the mistreatment of food animals and those used in scientific research to be “speciesism,” as indefensible as racism and sexism. Not only a philosopher, but an activist as well, Singer has a history of lobbying and protesting against practices which he finds to be wrong, such as the incredible cruelty many food animals suffer in their brief lifetimes. This has made him both popular and despised and definitely controversial. (answers.com)

Consistent with his condemnation of inhumane practices regarding animals is his conviction that it is not so much the sanctity of life which is important and to be respected as the quality of that life. He therefore argues for euthanasia in cases where the patient is terminal and experiencing great suffering, or for newborns with severely debilitating conditions. He disputes that there is any difference between allowing a patient to die (as in a “do not resuscitate” order) and helping a patient to die. This, however, is only one area in which Singer is controversial. In spite (and seemingly in contradiction) of his strong animal rights stance is his suppo