On this episode of Free Range, Mike Livermore speaks with Nicholas Agar, a moral philosopher who is currently a Distinguished Visiting Professor at Carnegie Mellon University, Australia. His most recent book, How to be Human in the Digital Economy, was published by MIT Press in 2019.

The conversation begins with something of a retrospective of one of Agar’s earlier works, Life’s Intrinsic Value, which examines the foundations of moral consideration for non-humans. Agar explains how his approach to these ideas have evolved in the three decades since the book was published. In particular, Agar expands on his belief that philosophy must challenge long-held and widely-accepted beliefs. This leads to a discussion on what Agar describes as one of the central concepts within bio-ethics, the important challenge of determining what life is valued and why. (:40 – 9:56) The conversation then proceeds to examine how these challenges fit within, and are influenced by, a hyperconnected modernity in which individuals are acutely aware of how their actions affect the world, generally. Agar contends that this aspect of contemporary life has inspired a broad range of reactions, most notably a certain nostalgia for a time when society was less connected, and perhaps even an affinity for political movements which absolve individuals of their responsibility. (10:00 – 14:52) Livermore questions if the decline in spiritual cosmologies has also played some role in this state of affairs, and Agar explains how a connection with the natural world may have contributed to a more ethically viable approach to the environment. This leads to an analysis of the work of another moral philosopher, Peter Singer, and the points of intersection and divergence between Singer’s and Agar’s work. (14:55 – 23:56) Livermore then asks Agar about his views on the rights of nature and of organisms within nature, and how that connects to religion, atheism, the legal regime of nature’s rights, and morality. (24:00 – 30:00) The conversation then shifts to the interdisciplinary nature of Agar’s work, and how he incorporates the humanities, social sciences, and hard sciences into his philosophical analysis. Agar explains that, in contrast to many philosophers, in some instances he emphasizes breadth over depth, which allows for a wider understanding of a given issue and creates a space for experimentation within the field (30:05 – 39:54). This leads to a long discussion of Agar’s recent studies, with a specific focus on the nature of work and how societies can create jobs that are beneficial to individuals’ well-being. Agar argues that humans are fundamentally social creatures, and therefore we should aim to create jobs that allow individuals to maintain social connections. Agar also explains why, through the forced interaction that the social digital workplace economy provides, he believes work can be a tool for combating the increasing balkanization of society and isolation of individuals. (40:00 – 1:03:58).

Professor Michael Livermore is the Edward F. Howrey Professor of Law at the University of Virginia School of Law. He is also the Director of the Program in Law, Communities and the Environment (PLACE), an interdisciplinary program based at UVA Law that examines the intersection of legal, environmental, and social concerns.