philosophy bites

Les Green on Same Sex Marriage

Are there any reasonable objections to same sex marriage? Leslie Green discusses this issue in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast.

Listen to Les Green on Same Sex Marriage

Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy

Gary L. Francione on Animal Abolitionism

How should we treat non-human animals? Is it enough not to cause them harm? In this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast Gary Francione argues that we need to go one step further than Jeremy Bentham did and abolish all use of animals. He calls his approach abolitionism.

Listen to Gary L. Francione on Animal Abolitionism

Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy

Richard Sorabji on Mahatma Gandhi as Philosopher

Richard Sorabji discusses Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy of non-violence with Nigel Warburton for this the 200th episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. Philosophy Bites has now been downloaded more than 15 million times.

Listen to Richard Sorabji on Mahatma Gandhi as Philosopher

Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy

Rae Langton on Hate Speech

Hate speech can be vile and psychologically damaging. Should it be tolerated? Rae Langton explores the nature of hate speech and the question of whether laws protecting free expression should allow it in conversation with Nigel Warburton. 

Listen to Rae Langton on Hate Speech

Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy.

Molly Crockett on Brain Chemistry and Moral-Decision Making (originally on Bioethics Bites)

Can we manipulate moral decision-making by altering levels of serotonin? And if we can, should we? Molly Crockett has researched the effects of serotonin in this area discusses her findings with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. This episode was originally released on Bioethics Bites and made in association with the Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics and with a grant from the Wellcome Trust. 

Listen to Molly Crockett on Brain Chemistry and Moral Decision-Making

Tim Lewens on Selling Organs (originally on Bioethics Bites)

Tim Lewens discusses the ethics of selling human organs in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast - originally released on Bioethics Bites (made in association with the Uehiro Centre with a grant from the Wellcome Trust).

Listen to Tim Lewens on Selling Organs

 

Peter Singer on Life and Death Decision-Making

How should doctors, patients and families make end of life decisions? In this episode, originally recorded as part of Bioethics Bites, Peter Singer addresses this question from a utilitarian perspective, stressing the importance individual autonomy. Bioethics Bites is made in association with the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics and made possible by a grant from the Wellcome Trust.

Listen to Peter Singer on Life and Death Decision-Making

Previous interviews with Peter Singer:

Listen to Peter Singer on Henry Sidgwick's Ethics

Listen to Peter Singer on the Life You Can Save

Listen to Peter Singer on Using Animals (originally on Ethics Bites)

Another Philosophy Bites episode on ending lives:

Listen to Raymond Tallis on Assisted Dying

 

Jeff McMahan on Moral Status

Many questions in practical ethics turn on questions of moral status. In this bonus episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast (originally released on Bioethics Bites), Jeff McMahan explores the issues surrounding the moral status of foetuses, those in persistent vegetative states, and non-human animals. This episode of Philosophy Bites was made in association with the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics and made possible by a grant from the Wellcome Trust.

Listen to Jeff McMahan on Moral Status

Listen to an earlier Philosophy Bites interview with Jeff McMahan on Vegetarianism

Listen to an earlier Philosophy Bites interview with Jeff McMahan on Killing in War

 

Julian Savulescu on Designer Babies

Should we select advantageous genes and deselect disadvantageous ones when having children? Julian Savulescu believes that we should. Find out why in this bonus episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast (originally released on Bioethics Bites and made in association with the Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, Oxford, and made possible by a grant from the Wellcome Trust).

Listen to Julian Savulescu on Designer Babies

Previously on Philosophy Bites:

Julian Savulescu on the Yuk Factor

On Virtual Philosopher: 

Julian Savulescu on Moral Enhancement

Julian Savulescu and Walter Sinnott-Armstrong discuss Addiction

Julian Savulescu on Craig Venter's synthetic bacterium

 

Philip Pettit on Consequentialism

Is consequentialism in ethics a form of moral opportunism? Is torture always wrong? What about punishing the innocent? Philip Pettit, who recently gave the 2011 Uehiro Lectures on 'Robustly Demanding Values', discusses some common criticisms of consequentialism in conversation with Nigel Warburton in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast

Listen to Philip Pettit on Consequentialism

Listen to an earlier Philosophy Bites interview with Philip Pettit on Group Agency

Philosophy Bites is made in association with the Institute of Philosophy