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Cross Post: Want to be popular? You’d better follow some simple moral rules
This article was originally published by The Conversation Written by Jim A.C. Everett, PhD Candidate, University of Oxford and Molly Crockett, Associate Professor of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford Imagine that an out of control trolley is speeding towards a group of five people. You are standing on a footbridge above, next to a large man. If you push him…
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Whose lifestyle benefits? Regulatory risk-benefit assessment of enhancement devices
Nearly everyone would agree that a device or drug that relieves pain, or alleviates symptoms of depression confers a benefit – plausibly, a substantial benefit – on its user. No matter what your goals are, no matter what you enjoy, you are likely to agree that your life will go better if you are not…
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Private education: in defence of hypocrisy
(Photo: Daily Telegraph) I am a bitter opponent of private education. All my political hackles rise whenever the subject is mentioned. Yet of my four currently school-aged children, one (‘A’) is educated privately (at a specialist choir school), and another (‘B’, who is dyslexic) will shortly be in private education (at a hip, Indian-cotton swathed,…
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Guest Post: Abortion, punishment and moral consistency
Written by: Rajiv Shah, PhD Candidate, Faculty of Law, University of Cambridge Donald Trump suggested that women who have abortions should face punishment. For that he was criticised by both the pro-choice side and the pro-life side. The latter claimed that their view is that women should not face punishment for having abortions but that only providers should.…
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The Panama Papers: How much financial privacy should the super rich be allowed to enjoy?
The Panama Papers comprise a leak of 11.5 million files from Mossack Fonseca, the world’s fourth biggest offshore law firm. The leak has tainted the reputations of many celebrities, and some public officials have been forced to resign, including Icelandic Prime Minister Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsoon, and Spanish Industry Minister José Manuel Soria. Ramón Fonseca, Director…
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Striking out? Should we ban doctors strikes?
by Dominic Wilkinson @Neonatalethics Consultant neonatologist, Director of Medical Ethics Next week, junior doctors in England and Wales will be taking part in industrial action for 15 hours over two successive days. This is the latest in a series of stoppages since late last year, and relates to a dispute over proposed changes to…
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Guest Post: Scientists aren’t always the best people to evaluate the risks of scientific research
Written by Simon Beard, Research Associate at the Center for the Study of Existential Risk, University of Cambridge How can we study the pathogens that will be responsible for future global pandemics before they have happened? One way is to find likely candidates currently in the wild and genetically engineer them so that they gain the…
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Announcement: New Publication: Philosophers Take On the World
Philosophers Take On the World is based on this blog, ‘Practical Ethics in the News’, and edited by David Edmonds. It is published by OUP and is due out in September 2016. Every day the news shows us provoking stories about what’s going on in the world, about events which raise moral questions and problems. In…
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Cross Post: Ideas for Australia: Rethinking funding and priorities in IVF – should the state pay for people to have babies?
Written by Professor Julian Savulescu and Professor Kelton Tremellen This is a cross posting of an article which was originally published at The Conversation How much should the state spend on helping people to have children? At present, government support for infertility treatment is approximately A$240 million a year. The success of fertility treatments such…