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Vaccine Refusal Is Like Tax Evasion
Written by Alberto Giubilini: Oxford Martin School and Wellcome Centre for Ethics and the Humanities, University of Oxford Vaccination has received a lot of media attention over the past few months following recent measles outbreaks and the introduction of rigid vaccination policies in some countries. Amid this discussion, a rather strange story hit the
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Cross Post: Machine Learning and Medical Education: Impending Conflicts in Robotic Surgery
Guest Post by Nathan Hodson * Please note that this article is being cross-posted from the Journal of Medical Ethics Blog Research in robotics promises to revolutionize surgery. The Da Vinci system has already brought the first fruits of the revolution into the operating theater through remote controlled laparoscopic (or “keyhole”) surgery. New developments are going
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MSt in Practical Ethics
The MSt in Practical Ethics is now open for applications for 2025. The MSt offers high-quality training in practical ethics, drawing on the internationally recognised expertise of Oxford’s Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, the Ethox Centre and the Faculty of Philosophy. Application Deadlines: Wednesday 29th January 2025, 12:00 noon UK time, (Latest deadline for most Oxford scholarships) *Applications may remain
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Harvey Weinstein and the Ring of Gyges
Written by Roger Crisp At the start of book II of what is perhaps the most famous work in western philosophy, Plato’s Republic, one of the characters in the dialogue, Glaucon, tells Socrates the story of a Lydian shepherd, Gyges. Gyges, having found a ring which made him invisible, used its powers to enter the royal
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Blade Runner 2049, Parfit and Identity
Julian Savulescu Contains spoilers for both Blade Runner films. This is a longer version of a shorter piece without spoilers, Blade Runner 2049: Identity, Humanity, and Discrimination, in Pursuit Blade Runner 2049, like the original, is about identity, humanity and discrimination. Identity and Humanity In both films, bioengineered humans are known as replicants. Blade
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A Fundamental Problem with Moral Enhancement
by Joao Fabiano Moral philosophers often prefer to conceive thought experiments, dilemmas and problem cases of single individuals who make one-shot decisions with well-defined short-term consequences. Morality is complex enough that such simplifications seem justifiable or even necessary for philosophical reflection. If we are still far from consensus on which is the best moral theory
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Flu Vaccination for Kids: a Moral Obligation?
Written by Ben Bambery and Julian Savulescu Rosie Anderson, aged 8, died from influenza infection last Friday the 15th of September. Her tragic death followed the recent death of young father, Ben Ihlow, aged 30, who died suddenly on Father’s Day this year, also from influenza infection. Contrary to public perception, “the flu” is a
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Judges Are Paid To Express Opinions
Introduction In a series of five harrowing judgments, the President of the Family Division, Sir James Munby, expressed his frustration with the system that endangered the life of a child who was the subject of care proceedings. He was forthright. Some of his words were quoted in the press. A headline in the Guardian read:
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Cross Post: UK Gene Editing Breakthrough Could Land an Aussie in Jail for 15 Years: Here’s Why Our Laws Need to Catch Up
Written by Dr Christopher Gyngell Research Fellow in Biomedical Ethics, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, and Professor Julian Savulescu Uehiro Chair in Practical Ethics,Visiting Professor in Biomedical Ethics, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute and Distinguished Visiting Professor in Law, Melbourne University, University of Oxford This article was originally published on The Conversation One of the greatest mysteries in life is why only about