40. Nick Cooney on Going Beyond Good Intentions & the Ethical Impact of What We Leave Undone

Content provided by Humanise Live | Hosted by James Hodgson. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Humanise Live | Hosted by James Hodgson or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

Humanism Now | Empowering Conversations with Voices for Reason, Compassion and Change »
40. Nick Cooney on Going Beyond Good Intentions & the Ethical Impact of What We Leave Undone

2d ago 44:20

MP3•Episode home

“Focusing on the positive outcomes gives you agency; you can literally see the progress happening and that keeps you moving forward.” - Nick Cooney

Nick Cooney is a social entrepreneur, alternative‑protein investor, and author. He joins Humanism Now to discuss to unpack the hidden moral cost of doing nothing. Drawing on insights from his new book What We Don’t Do, Nick explains why inaction outweighs mis‑action, how to count the suffering we can prevent, and why business, capital and compassion must pull in the same direction.

Topics we cover

✔︎ The four‑quadrant framework of action vs inaction
✔︎ Measuring impact: turning empathy into numbers
✔︎ Beating overwhelm with data‑driven altruism
✔︎ Alternative proteins and the end of factory farming
✔︎ Lever VC’s investment thesis & the business case for good
✔︎ Animal suffering as a neglected moral emergency
✔︎ Effective altruism, long‑termism and their critiques
✔︎ Habits that keep the “do‑more” muscle strong

Connect with Nick

Resources

What We Don’t Do – Nick Cooney (2025)
Nick Cooney Books
- Change of Heart
- Veganomics
- How to Be Great at Doing Good
Lever VC – global VC fund for sustainable food innovation
Lever Foundation – non‑profit accelerating humane food systems
The Humane League – farm‑animal advocacy organisation
Good Food Institute – think‑tank for alt‑protein R&D and policy

Send us a text

Support the show

Support us on Patreon
Advertising opportunities

Click here to submit questions, nominate guest & topics.

Follow Humanism Now @HumanismNowPod

This Podcast is produced by Humanise Live.

Humanise Live makes podcasting easy for charities and social causes.

Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at www.humanise.live or [email protected]
Music: Blossom by Light Prism

Chapters

1. Introduction to Nick Cooney Ethical Inaction (00:00:00)

2. Overcoming Overwhelm with the Scale of Suffering (00:03:46)

3. The Four Quadrants of Ethical Choices (00:07:04)

4. Allowing Time for Self Care (00:13:10)

5. Philosophical Foundations of Effective Giving (00:15:50)

6. Thoughts on the Effective Altruism Movement (00:18:32)

7. Sustainable Food Innovation and Investment (00:21:35)

8. Animal Suffering as a Humanist Cause (00:28:46)

9. Balancing Immediate Impact with Long Term Progress (00:31:16)

10. Staying Mission Focussed & Overcoming Default to Inaction (00:38:37)

11. Changing Minds on Prisons, Power & Resources (00:41:34)

40 episodes

#Society #Religion #Atheism #Ethics #Reason #Freethought #Science #Humanise Live | Hosted by James Hodgson #Being Human #Secular #Philosophy #Rational