philosophy bites

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

Pat Churchland on What Neuroscience Can Teach Us About Morality

Can science teach us anything about morality? Are facts and values two separate realms? Patricia Churchland discusses what neuroscience can teach us about morality in this episode which was originally released on Bioethics Bites. Bioethics Bites is made in association with the Uehiro Centre and with a grant from the Wellcome Institute.

Listen to Patricia Churchland on What Neuroscience Can Teach Us About Morality

Listen to an earlier Philosophy Bites interview with Pat Churchland on Eliminative Materialism

  

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

Hanna Pickard on Responsibility and Personality Disorder (originally on Bioethics Bites)

How should we treat people with personality disorder who commit crimes? Should we hold them responsible, or as victims of their condition? Hanna Pickard discusses the issue of moral responsibility in relation to personality disorder in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. This episoded was orignally released on Bioethics Bites made in association with the Uehiro Centre and with a grant from the Wellcome Trust.

Listen to Hanna Pickard on Responsibility and Personality Disorder

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

 

Jonathan Wolff on Political Bioethics (originally on Bioethics Bites)

How should scarce healthcare resources be distributed? Jonathan Wolff addresses this and related questions in this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. This episode was made in association with the Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics and made possible by a grant from the Wellcome Institute.

Listen to Jonathan Wolff on Political Bioethics

Onora O'Neill on Trust (originally on Bioethics Bites)

How much should we trust medical experts? Do we really need to give consent for every medical procedure? Onora O'Neill investigates questions about trust in relation to medicine in this episode of Philosophy Bites (originally released on Bioethics Bites which is made in association with the Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics and made possible by a grant from the Wellcome Trust).

Listen to Onora O'Neill on Trust

 

Nick Bostrom on the Status Quo Bias

Do we want things to remain the same, and does that stop us making rational judgements in the area of cognitive enhancement? Nick Bostrom discusses these questions with Nigel Warburton. This episode was made as part of Bioethics Bites in association with the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics and made possible by a grant from the Wellcome Trust.

Listen to Nick Bostrom on the Status Quo Bias

Listen to an interview with Nick Bostrom on the Simulation Argument

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