The Moral Circle

The Moral Circle: Who Matters, What Matters, and Why is a 2025 book by philosopher Jeff Sebo. In the book, Sebo calls for a fundamental shift in ethics, advocating for the expansion of humanity's moral circle to include not just humans, but also animals, insects, AI systems, and even microbes. He critiques human exceptionalism, emphasizing how human current treatment of nonhumans—whether through factory farming, captivity, or technological development—often neglects their interests. Through case studies on captive elephants, farmed insects, and the ethical dilemmas of creating digital minds, Sebo explores how expanding the moral circle could transform society. As humanity continues to reshape the world, he argues for a rethinking of human ethical responsibilities and the implementation of systemic changes to create a more just and inclusive future.
In The Moral Circle, Sebo examines the complexities surrounding moral consideration across various beings. The text opens with two notable events from June 2022: a legal case involving Happy the Elephant, which highlighted the limitations of nonhuman legal rights, and claims made by a Google engineer regarding the sentience of LaMDA, an AI chatbot, which raised questions about the moral status of artificial intelligence. These cases illustrate the ongoing challenge of defining the "moral circle"—the group of beings that should be included in moral consideration.
Sebo explores philosophical questions related to moral status, particularly which beings should be included in the moral circle. He contrasts beings like cats, which can experience harm and be wronged, with inanimate objects like cars, which cannot. This distinction plays a key role in understanding moral obligations toward different entities. The text also examines different classifications of beings—such as sentient, agential, or simply alive—and their implications for moral theory and practice.
The book stresses the importance of acknowledging uncertainty and disagreement about the boundaries of the moral circle, especially as human actions increasingly impact a wide range of beings, including those that are often overlooked, such as insects, microbes and potential future AI entities. Sebo argues that there is a moral responsibility to consider the well-being of beings who may be affected by human actions across time and space, advocating for a broader, less human-centered view of moral consideration.
A central argument in Sebo's work is a critique of human exceptionalism, the belief that human beings hold a superior moral status compared to other entities. He proposes a more balanced moral framework that emphasizes humane treatment of humans while also recognizing the intrinsic value of nonhuman beings. This perspective calls for the evolution of moral considerations to include a wider range of life forms and potential future intelligences.
Throughout the book, Sebo highlights the need to develop new moral frameworks that address the complexities of existence and the diverse range of beings with which humans share the world. He urges caution and humility in approaching these ethical discussions, suggesting that many beings may matter morally and deserve consideration and care.
Ultimately, The Moral Circle encourages readers to reconsider the boundaries of moral consideration and to adopt a more inclusive stance toward the various beings that share the planet, underscoring the moral obligations humans have and the potential for future ethical development.
The Moral Circle has been endorsed for its exploration of moral responsibility beyond humans. Bryan Walsh, editorial director of Vox, notes its relevance as artificial intelligence becomes more complex. Australian moral philosopher Peter Singer describes it as a significant contribution to the debate on expanding moral consideration. American anthropologist and primatologist Barbara J. King highlights its use of thought experiments to encourage broader empathy, while American ecologist and author Carl Safina acknowledges its challenge to conventional ethical boundaries, suggesting that its arguments may prompt discomfort but also critical reflection. Additionally, the book was included in "The Next Big Idea Club's January 2025 Must-Read Books", a list curated by Susan Cain, Malcolm Gladwell, Adam Grant, and Daniel Pink.
Kirkus Reviews describes the book as a "thoughtful unsettling of moral certainty". The review highlights Sebo's argument for expanding moral consideration to encompass animals, insects, plants, microbes, and artificial intelligence, challenging the notion of human exceptionalism. It also emphasizes the book's call to broaden our moral community and reassess humanity's place in the world.
Joshua C. Gellers review of The Moral Circle for Science, in conjunction with Webb Keane's Animals, Robots, Gods, describes the book as a digestible yet careful philosophical work that examines agency, consciousness, and sentience as criteria for moral status. Gellers notes that Sebo’s probabilistic framework, while novel, may feel disconnected from traditional moral intuitions and relational approaches found in non-Western philosophies. He also points out unresolved contradictions in Sebo’s argument, such as his reliance on contested philosophical properties. While acknowledging the book's meticulous structure and its attempt to outline moral decision-making, Gellers suggests that its framework might be too rigid compared to Keane’s more narrative approach.
Mark Epstein's New York Times review, alongside Webb Keane's Animals, Robots, Gods, characterizes the book as didactic in tone and prescriptive in style, suggesting that it presents its arguments in a manner that may feel more like a lecture than a discussion. He notes the book's use of italics for emphasis and observes that it tends to present its points assertively. While acknowledging the relevance of the subject, particularly in the context of expanding moral consideration to nonhuman entities, Epstein suggests that the book could have been more engaging in its exploration of these ethical questions.
Michael Marshall's review in New Scientist, praises it as a clear, thought-provoking, and well-argued book that offers a refreshing and commonsensical approach to moral consideration. He appreciates Sebo's emphasis on probability rather than certainty when assessing consciousness, finding it both intellectually rigorous and practically compelling. The book's thought experiments are particularly engaging, encouraging readers to rethink ethical dilemmas in a structured yet accessible way. However, Marshall questions whether Sebo's argument is timely, given ongoing struggles for human rights, though he ultimately acknowledges that calls for greater empathy may be more necessary than ever.
The book was published in hardcover and ebook formats by W. W. Norton & Company on January 28, 2025. An audiobook version, narrated by Joel Richards and published by Tantor Media, was released on the same date.