26: “Change is possible but hard” – Jeff Sebo – Author, Activist, Philosopher – Sentientist Conversation

Jeff Sebo is Clinical Assoc. Prof. of Environmental Studies, Affiliated Professor of Bioethics, Medical Ethics, & Philosophy, & Director of the Animal Studies M.A. Program at New York University. He is on the executive committee at the NYU Center for Environmental & Animal Protection & the advisory board for the Animals in Context series at NYU Press. He is a board member at Animal Charity Evaluators, a board member at Minding Animals International, an Exec. Cttee. member at the Animals & Society Institute, and a Senior Fellow at Sentient Media.

Full show notes are here https://sentientism.info/change-is-possible-but-hard-jeff-sebo-author-activist-academic-new-sentientist-conversation

In these Sentientist Conversations we talk about the two most important questions: “what’s real?” & “what matters?”

Sentientism is “evidence, commitment & compassion for all sentient beings.”

The audio will also be on our Podcast – subscribe on Apple here & most other platforms via Anchor.

We discuss:

• Jeff’s background in moral & political philosophy & his shift to focus on animal & environmental ethics
• Multi-disciplinary approaches
• Using academia to drive real change
• Growing up in a Christian household & connecting with religious community (e.g. leading youth groups)
• Considering going into ministry
• College at Texas Christian University (liberal arts focus, but many conservative Christian students)
• Facing a wave of challenges to religious beliefs & having a major faith crisis
• “I never really believed the Christian stuff in the first place as much as I thought I did… in fact, I was just invested in the community.”
• A reactionary atheism phase: “God is dead, life is absurd!”
• Re-constructing a more generous interpretation of religious & scientific beliefs
• Deep humility re: the fundamental nature of reality
• The limits to empirical testing. There might be truths beyond those limits
• “Use evidence & reason to study what we can but recognise that they will not be able to grasp everything of interest in the world”
• And much more...

Follow Jeff at @jeffrsebo & find him at jeffsebo.net

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Thanks to Graham for his post-prod work. Follow him: @cgbessellieu.