Sabrina Lehmann | This House Believes You Can Put A Number On Human Life | Cambridge Union

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Published 2024-02-11
Sabrina Lehmann speaks as first proposition on the motion on Thursday 1st February 2024 at 8:00pm in the Debating Chamber.

As modelling and technological capacity improves, an old problem on morality is rearing its head, especially as we all were confronted with the grim graphs of the COVID-19 pandemic. Is morality and human life calculable, a hedonic calculus of pleasure or pain, and can we theoretically get there?

New movements, such as the Effective Altruism Movement, are strongly arguing yes, arguing for a revolutionary new approach to modelling where all impacts can be measured, fulfilling the vision of Bentham and allowing us to more precisely target policy and charity. Others strongly propound that they are chasing the impossible, and that such an attitude can result in dangerous policy making decisions that put the will of the majority over the needs of the minority.

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Thumbnail Photographer: Mark Wadey
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SABRINA LEHMANN

Sabrina is completing an MPhil in Bioscience Enterprise at Newnham College. She won the right to speak through process of audition.

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