Blog Posts

In praise of unthinking national religion: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, April 2023

Mummification and moral blindness: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, January 2023

Abortion in Wonderland (the Heidi Crowter case):University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, November 2022

Fracking and the Precautionary Principle:University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, September 2022

Tavistock clinic fallout: What the courts would consider in litigation by former patients: The Conversation, August 2022

The Homeric power of advance directives: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, July 2022

Hang onto your soul: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, May 2022

The aliens are coming: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, March 2022

Cognitive snobbery: The unacceptable bias in favour of the conscious: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, January 2022

The deadly danger of being sedentary: Psychology Today, November 2021

How we got into this mess, and the way out: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, November 2021

Being a hunter-gatherer in the office and the shopping mall: Psychology Today, September 2021

What sort of creature are you? Finding yourself in prehistory: Psychology Today, September 2021

Philosophical fiddling while the world burns: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, September 2021

What if stones have souls? University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, July 2021

Is life-sustaining treatement being unlawfully withdrawn from patients in prolonged disorders of consciousness? Nobody seems to know. University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, May 2021

Lockdown erodes agency:University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, May 2021

Vaccine passports: Yes for me, no for you: Prospect magazine blog, March 2021

Ethics doesn’t rule, OK? University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, March 2021

Who you really are, and why it matters: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, January 2021

Lessons from philosophers and scientists from Sherlock Holmes and Father Brown: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, January 2021

The duty to ignore Covid 19: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, October 2020

We’re all vitalists now: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, May 2020

Farmers, fear, and human nature: A reply to Colin Tudge: Campaign for Real Farming, June 2020

Farmers show us how to fear properly: Oxford Real Farming Conference Review, May 2020

Coronavirus: dark clouds, but a few silver linings? The Conversation, March 2020 (also University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog,

Rewarding what matters: Status in academic ethics: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, November 2019

The irrelevance and elusiveness of consciousness: Journal of Medical Ethics blog, October 2019

The Doctor-Knows-Best NHS Foundation Trust: A business proposal for the Health Secretary: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, September 2019

Abolish medical ethics: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, June 2019

In praise of dementia: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, May 2019

The re-greening of Abraham: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, March 2019

Abortion: a law unto itself: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, January 2019

The dangers of biography: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, November 2018

The fetishisation of clinical guidelines: Journal of Medical Ethics blog, September 2018

The dangers of deferring to doctors: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, July 2018

Hell, damnation, the Royal Wedding, and the thrashing of schoolboys: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, May 2018

Tongue-splitting, nipple excision, and ear removal: Why prosecute the operator but not the customer?: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, April 2018

Paddington Bear and the Evangelicals: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, November 2017

The point of depression: OUP blog, October 2017

‘Being a burden: an illegitimate ground for assisted dying: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, September 2017

The non-identity problem of professional philosophers: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, June 2017

Damages and Communitarianism: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, April 2017

New Year resolutions and tri-partite human nature: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, April 2017

The bright side of Brexit: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, October 2016

Veterinarians and the best interests of animals: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, September 2016

Emotions in the Wild: History of Emotions blog, May 2016

Brexit: Lessons from the law; University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, June 2016

Private education: in defence of hypocrisy: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, May 2016

Animal suffering and the pointlessness of moral philosophy: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, March 2016

Mindfulness and Morality: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, February 2016

Meet the family: Waterstones blog: February 2016

Bentham and butterflies: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, January 2015

Humans are un-made by social media: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, February 2015

There are things that even lawyers won’t do: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, March 2015

Lord Janner: Sex, dementia, and the public interest: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, April 2015

There is a duty not to be boring: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, June 2015

A code of conduct for peer reviewers in the humanities and social sciences: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, July 2015

Why ethicists should read Middlemarch and despise Simon Cowell: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, August 2015

Drinking at Schipol with the fount of bioethics: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, September 2015

MPs vote no on assisted dying: So what are the arguments for and against? The Conversation: September 2015

Mandatory submission of patient information about FGM: A pointless, damaging, discriminatory mess (with Brenda Kelly): University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, October 2015

The reproducibility problem and the status of bioethics: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, October 2015

Pre-marital cohabitation endangers your marriage: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, November 2015

Doctors: turn off your computer and listen to your gut: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, January 2014

Bedroom Abortion: The law. Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Unbelievers are bad and have defective brains: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, March 2012

Medical Ethics are ridiculous: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, February 2014

For theta’s sake smash up your TV and go for a walk: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, March 2014

Notes from a philosophical Starbucks: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, April 2014

Do we need a root and branch review of the Abortion Act? Halsbury’s Law Exchange, May 2014

Food packaging matters more than informed consent to treatment: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, May 2014

Do not attempt resuscitation orders: Should you discuss with the patient? University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, June 2014

Sex with corpses might be philosophically cool but it’s still not a good idea. University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, July 2014

Bedroom Abortion: The law. Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Unbelievers are bad and have defective brains: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, March 2012

Medical Ethics are ridiculous: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, February 2014

For theta’s sake smash up your TV and go for a walk: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, March 2014

Notes from a philosophical Starbucks: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, April 2014

Do we need a root and branch review of the Abortion Act? Halsbury’s Law Exchange, May 2014

Food packaging matters more than informed consent to treatment: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, May 2014

Do not attempt resuscitation orders: Should you discuss with the patient? University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, June 2014

Sex with corpses might be philosophically cool, but it’s still not a good idea: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, July 2014

Playing the game: A story for the pool-side sun lounger: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, September 2014

The devil is real, and we all know him: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, October 2014

A right to her ill partner’s sperm? Halsbury’s Law Exchange (with Rebecca Carter), January 2014

C.S. Lewis as a moral philosopher: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, November 2014

Milk round success is tragic, culpable failure: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, December 2014

Abortion and the cognitively impaired mother: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, January 2013

Too long in gestating: an overdue inquiry into the Abortion Act: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, February 2013

Facebook: You are your likes: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, March 2013

What happens when you die? University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, April 2013

Non-consensual testing after needlestick injury: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, May 2013

Casinos should say: Enough: Go home’ University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, June 2013

Killing by praying: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, July 2013

Not all philosophers are equal: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, August 2013

Necessary sterilisation. An unnecessary decision: An NHS Trust v DE: Halsburys Law Exchange.

Abortion on grounds of gender: the DPP was right: Halsburys Law Exchange.

Teenage annihilation on an Aegean boat: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, September 2013

There are no significant facts about human beings: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, October 2013

If you’re female, your face is worth 48-67% more than mine: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, November 2013

Euthanasia for children is wrong – as Belgium proposes new law: The Conversation, November 2013

Get your nasty Platonic hands off my kids, Mr. Gove: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, December 2013

Court is the ultimate arbiter of best interests in bone marrow transplant: Halbsury’s Law Exchange, December 2013

Skipping intuitively over the is-ought gap: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, January 2012

There’s nothing that lawyers shouldn’t do: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, February 2012

Unbelievers are bad and have defective brains: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, March 2012

Bold Private John Smith, VC, modified ‘t’ allele of TPH1 SNP rs2108977: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, April 2012

Re XB: Advance decisions: a welcome judicial look: Halsburys Law Exchange, May 2012

Repent, Brother Dawkins: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, May 2012

To kill or to violate? University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, June 2012

On being yourself: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, July 2012

How not to save the world: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, August 2012

DNAR orders can be medico-legally lethal (with Tony Hope): Halsbury’s Law Exchange

The deadly dangers of peer review: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, September 2012

DNAR order for a patient with Down Syndrome: Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Magic tricks and moral fibre: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, September 2012

Should doctors convicted of sexual offences be automatically banned? Halsbury’s Law Exchange, October 2012

Should you be prosecuted for feeding junk food to your children? University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, October 2012

Nine to Five Philosophers: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, October 2012

On rebuilding Noah’s ark and drinking old Burgundy: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, January 2011

You want to publish? Let’s hear all your dirty secrets: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, February 2011

Autonomy: amorphous or just impossible? University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, March 2011

Autonomy: amorphous or just impossible? University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, March 2011

Why Wills and Kate must breed: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, April 2011

Uterine transplants: applaud, and then shut up: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, June 2011

When it’s unethical to be a well-published academic: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, July 2011

Philosophy is the transformation of sheep: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, August 2011

Is a child a blessing? (The Santana case):University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, September 2011

My son’s dyslexic, and I’m glad:University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, October 2011

The cost of living and the cost of dying:University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, November 2011

The role of the presumption in favour of the maintenance of life in cases of Minimally Conscious State: Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Why philosophers should celebrate Christmas: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, December 2012

Easing the passing: Death booths, misrepresentations and the ‘Ugh factor’: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, February 2010

Castration and Conscience: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, March 2010

The Christian Right is wrong: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, April 2010

Lord Justice Nero?: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, May 2010

Mining your past to justify your terminal care: the idea of a retrospective QALY: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, June 2010

Greeks and Geeks: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, July 2010

Ethicists of the world unite: you have nothing to lose but your non-citation: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, August 2010

Is the UK’s HPV vaccination programme unethical and/or unlawful?: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, September 2010

Virtue is back, and I’m worried about my mortgage: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, October 2010

Palmistry for the genome: genetic fundamentalism fights on: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, November 2010

Education is child abuse: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, December 2010

We’re all guinea pigs, and it’s not so bad: University of Oxford Practical Ethics blog, December 2009