Ethics Untangled

Jim Baxter
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Ethics Untangled is a series of conversations about the ethical issues that affect all of us, with academics who have spent some time thinking about them.  Ethics Untangled is also the long-form online presence of IDEA, edited by Danielle Bromwich and Luke Brunning, where we make room for longer interviews, staff and student profiles, articles and other forms of content. Both are brought to you by IDEA, the Ethics Centre, a specialist unit for teaching, research, training and consultancy in Applied Ethics at the University of Leeds. IDEA offers Masters programmes in Healthcare Ethics and Applied and Professional Ethics, research degrees and consultancy services. The Ethics Untangled podcast is edited by Mark Smith at Leeds Media Services. Music is by Kate Wood.

  1. 3d ago

    66. Should we be worried about voice synthesis? With Matilde Nanni

    Send us Fan Mail One of the many technological advances that have been made in recent years is the ability of computers to synthesise people's voices to a very high standard. Voice synthesis can produce new, entirely synthetic voices, but it can also reproduce the voices of real people, to the point where it's difficult if not impossible to tell the synthetic voice apart from the real one. Matilde Nanni, who is based at the University of Inland Norway in Lillehammer, thinks voice donors, i.e. people whose voices are used to train voice synthesis software, can sometimes be harmed through this process in ways we should be concerned about. Here are a few links to recent papers on the topic recommended by Matilde: Berkowitz, A. E., & Sweeney, M. E. (2025). Look Who’s Talking: Voice cloning as tension point between identity and data. Philosophy & Technology, 38(4), 131. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13347-025-00965-7Berkowitz, A. E., & Sweeney, M. E. (2026). Simulating Voice and the Simulacra of Voice Clones. Philosophy & Technology, 39(1), 4. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13347-025-01027-8Leuenberger, M. (2025). The role of the voice for identity and implications for voice cloning technology. Philosophy & Technology, 38(4), 175. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13347-025-00969-3 Ethics Untangled is produced by IDEA, The Ethics Centre at the University of Leeds. As well as the podcast, Ethics Untangled is also the name for the long-form online presence of IDEA. Bluesky: @ethicsuntangled.bluesky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/idea_leeds/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ideacetl LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/idea-ethics-centre/

  2. Jul 20

    65. Is it wrong to procreate when there are children who need adoptive parents? With Giuli Cavaliere

    Send us Fan Mail There are many children in the world who either do not have parents, or do not have parents who can look after them, and who would benefit greatly from being placed with adoptive families. Some ethicists have argued that this state of affairs means that procreation is impermissible - we should not bring more children into the world when there are children we could adopt instead. In this conversation I talk to Giuli Cavaliere, Lecturer in Engaged Philosophy at University College London, who has written about this question, and also about the related question of whether states should fund assisted procreation, again when adoption exists as an alternative. Giuli recommends this paper for an opposing view to hers: Rulli, Tina (2016). Preferring a Genetically-Related Child. Journal of Moral Philosophy 13 (6):669-698. Ethics Untangled is produced by IDEA, The Ethics Centre at the University of Leeds. As well as the podcast, Ethics Untangled is also the name for the long-form online presence of IDEA. Bluesky: @ethicsuntangled.bluesky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/idea_leeds/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ideacetl LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/idea-ethics-centre/

  3. Jul 6

    64. Should we dispose of bodies in a more environmentally friendly way? With Sarah Carter-Walshaw

    Send us Fan Mail Content warning: This episode contains frank discussion of death and of various forms of body disposal, which some might find distressing. Sarah Carter-Walshaw, Lecturer in Applied and Inter-Disciplinary Ethics at IDEA, The Ethics Centre at the University of Leeds, has been thinking about the ethics of what happens to us after we die. The problem is that the current most popular methods of body disposal - cremation and burial, aren't very environmentally friendly. The good news is that other, greener methods are available. The bad news is that, so far at least, these haven’t really caught on. In this conversation we discuss why not, as well as the ethical question of whether we have an obligation to consider these forms of body disposal for ourselves. Sarah is holding a virtual workshop on body disposal ethics at IDEA: The Ethics Centre, University of Leeds on 9 July 2026. Register for free here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/4RXPASJpiW. Further Reading: Balonier, AK, Parsons, E, & Patterson, A. The unnaturalness of natural burials: dispossessing the dispossessed. Mortality. 24(2), pp.212–230Booth, R. 2023. The Guardian: 'Boil in the bag’ environmentally friendly funerals arrive in the UK.Darwall, Stephen. 2017. “What Are Moral Reasons?” The Amherst Lecture in Philosophy 12: 1–24.Dembosky, A. 2024. NPR: The ultimate green burial? Human composting lets you replenish the earth after death.Mason, A. 2023. What’s Wrong with Lookism? Personal Appearance, Discrimination, and Disadvantage. Oxford: Oxford University Press.​Rieder, TN & Bernstein, J. 2020. The Case of ‘Contributory Ethics’: Or How to Think about Individual Morality in a Time of Global Problems. Ethics, Policy & Environment. 23(3), pp.299-319.   ​Schafer, C (2012) Corpses, conflict and insignificance? A critical analysis of post-mortem practices. Mortality. 17(4), pp.305-321. ​Schwenkenbecher, A. 2014. Is there an obligation to reduce one’s individual carbon footprint? Critical Review of International Social and Political Philosophy. 17(2), pp.168-188. Ethics Untangled is produced by IDEA, The Ethics Centre at the University of Leeds. As well as the podcast, Ethics Untangled is also the name for the long-form online presence of IDEA. Bluesky: @ethicsuntangled.bluesky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/idea_leeds/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ideacetl LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/idea-ethics-centre/

  4. Jun 15

    63. Should we stop keeping pets? With Angie Pepper and Richard Healey

    Send us Fan Mail Is it ever morally acceptable to keep pets? While most of us take pet-keeping for granted and think of it as a source of affection, companionship, and care, it is possible to see it very differently. Angie Pepper and Richard Healey argue that pet-keeping is not simply a private choice, but a socio-political institution that raises deep questions about power, control, and harm. In our conversation, I ask them to explain and defend their view that keeping pets is morally impermissible, and to explore what alternatives might look like for our relationships with animals. A short, accessible version of Angie and Richard's paper is here: https://iai.tv/articles/the-unjust-power-dynamics-of-pet-ownership-auid-3518 Another of their papers is here: Healey, Richard, and Angie Pepper. "Interspecies justice: agency, self-determination, and assent", Philosophical Studies 178.4 (2021): 1223-1243. Work with an opposing view: Cochrane, Alasdair (2009). Do animals have an interest in liberty? Political Studies, 57(3), 660–679. DOI:  http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9248.2008.00742.x Cochrane, Alasdair (2014). Born in chains? The ethics of animal domestication. In Lori Gruen (Ed.), The Ethics of Captivity (156–173). Oxford: Oxford University Press. A general intro to the ethics of pet keeping (also with an opposing view): Palmer, Clare and T. J. Kasperbauer (2022). Companion animals. In Benjamin Hale, Andrew Light and Lydia Lawhon (eds.), The Routledge Companion to Environmental Ethics (343–354). London: Routledge. Ethics Untangled is produced by IDEA, The Ethics Centre at the University of Leeds. As well as the podcast, Ethics Untangled is also the name for the long-form online presence of IDEA. Bluesky: @ethicsuntangled.bluesky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/idea_leeds/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ideacetl LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/idea-ethics-centre/

  5. Jun 1

    62. Can organisations be trustworthy? With Matt Clark

    Send us Fan Mail Can organisations themselves be trustworthy, or is trustworthiness only a quality of individuals? This question matters for how we think about public institutions, businesses, and charities – and about the responsibilities they bear when people rely on them. Philosopher Matt Clark joins me to unpack what trustworthiness means, what kind of control and awareness an organisation would need in order to count as trustworthy, and why values matter in this context. Along the way, we discuss examples such as the Metropolitan Police and sketch what a genuinely trustworthy organisation might look like. Here's what Matt suggested for further reading: Katherine Hawley. 2017. 'Trustworthy Groups & Organisations.' In P. Faulkner & T. W. Simpson (eds.), The Philosophy of Trust (Oxford University Press) https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198732549.003.0014Matt Bennett. 'Trusting Groups.' Philosophical Psychology, 37:1, 196-215. https://doi.org/10.1080/09515089.2023.2179478C. Thi Nguyen. 2022. 'Trust as an Unquestioning Attitude.' In Tamar Szabó Gendler (ed.), Oxford Studies in Epistemology, Vol. 7 (Oxford University Press) https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780192868978.003.0007Hawley expresses scepticism about the possibility of trust in groups, Bennett provides a different argument to Matt's on why trusting groups is acceptable, and Nguyen is referenced by Matt in the podcast as having a different view of trust. Ethics Untangled is produced by IDEA, The Ethics Centre at the University of Leeds. As well as the podcast, Ethics Untangled is also the name for the long-form online presence of IDEA. Bluesky: @ethicsuntangled.bluesky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/idea_leeds/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ideacetl LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/idea-ethics-centre/

  6. May 18

    61. Do we really react emotionally to AI? With Rebecca Wallbank

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we’re asking whether people can really have genuine emotional reactions to artificial intelligence. Many of us already feel things towards AIs – whether that’s frustration with a chatbot, affection for a companion robot, or even comfort in talking to a virtual assistant – but should we take these emotions seriously? Philosopher Rebecca Wallbank joins me to explore what counts as a ‘genuine’ emotion, whether our responses to AI differ from our responses to fiction, and what it means to say that these emotions might be profound. Together, we’ll consider whether there’s anything irrational about these reactions, and what their significance might be for our emotional lives in a world increasingly shaped by AI. Here's Rebecca's paper on the topic: https://academic.oup.com/edited-volume/59762/chapter-abstract/508607528?redirectedFrom=fulltext Ethics Untangled is produced by IDEA, The Ethics Centre at the University of Leeds. As well as the podcast, Ethics Untangled is also the name for the long-form online presence of IDEA. Bluesky: @ethicsuntangled.bluesky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/idea_leeds/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ideacetl LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/idea-ethics-centre/

  7. May 4

    60. How should long covid change how we think about disability? With Élaina Gauthier-Mamaril

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we’re looking at the ethics of long COVID and the ways it is reshaping how we think about disability, care, and community. Long COVID has left millions of people living with chronic symptoms, often without adequate medical or state support. Philosopher Élaina Gauthier-Mamaril joins me to talk about her project, which uses podcasting not only to share stories but also as a disability-centred research method, archiving the knowledge and resilience of disabled communities. We’ll explore ideas such as “disability doulas”, the legacy of HIV activism, and what needs to change in how we respond to disability in the wake of COVID. Ethics Untangled is produced by IDEA, The Ethics Centre at the University of Leeds. As well as the podcast, Ethics Untangled is also the name for the long-form online presence of IDEA. Bluesky: @ethicsuntangled.bluesky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/idea_leeds/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ideacetl LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/idea-ethics-centre/

  8. Apr 20

    59. How should we care for people living with dementia? With Matilda Carter

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I'm talking to Matilda Carter, a lecturer in Applied Ethics at IDEA The Ethics Centre at the University of Leeds, about the ethics of dementia care, and asking what justice requires for people living with dementia. In her book, Relating to People Living with Dementia as Equals, Matilda argues that the way we think of and treat people living with dementia raises issues concerning power, stigma, and the structures of care. Drawing on a relational conception of justice, Matilda examines how domination and oppression can shape the lives of people with dementia, and why we should recognise their capacity to live authentically. We’ll also discuss advance directives, secure care, and what a more just system of dementia care might look like. Some further reading and other links recommended by Matilda: Self-advocacy books: Christine Bryden, Will I Still Be Me?Kate Swaffer, What the Hell Happened to My Brain?Wendy Mitchell, Somebody I Used to KnowRichard Taylor, Alzheimer’s From the Inside OutCritical Dementia Studies (an edited collection that includes some chapters by self-advocates)Organisations supporting self-advocacy work: Dementia Alliance InternationalAlzheimer’s Disease InternationalSources discussed in the interview: Ronald Dworkin, Life’s DominionIris Marion Young, Justice and the Politics of DifferenceAndrew Firlik, “Margo’s Logo”Rebecca Dresser, “Dworkin on Dementia”Agnieszka Jaworska, “Respecting the Margins of Agency”Ethics Untangled is produced by IDEA, The Ethics Centre at the University of Leeds. As well as the podcast, Ethics Untangled is also the name for the long-form online presence of IDEA. Bluesky: @ethicsuntangled.bluesky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/idea_leeds/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ideacetl LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/idea-ethics-centre/

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Ethics Untangled is a series of conversations about the ethical issues that affect all of us, with academics who have spent some time thinking about them.  Ethics Untangled is also the long-form online presence of IDEA, edited by Danielle Bromwich and Luke Brunning, where we make room for longer interviews, staff and student profiles, articles and other forms of content. Both are brought to you by IDEA, the Ethics Centre, a specialist unit for teaching, research, training and consultancy in Applied Ethics at the University of Leeds. IDEA offers Masters programmes in Healthcare Ethics and Applied and Professional Ethics, research degrees and consultancy services. The Ethics Untangled podcast is edited by Mark Smith at Leeds Media Services. Music is by Kate Wood.

Information

  • Creator
    Jim Baxter
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    104
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Ethics Untangled
  • Show Website
    Ethics Untangled