What We Mean by 'Equality'
In a time where the equality of individuals is being questioned in troubling ways, Prof Michels reviews Paul Sagar's 'Basic Equality'.
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POWER AND DEMOCRACY
Presidential Immunity: What Would Plato Say?
Even if Donald Trump's idea of absolute presidential immunity is absurd, immunity itself is not, as Plato understood.
474
What we are doing when we argue with strangers online
Polarisation and division plays out over social media. Tragically, it rarely delivers the sense of belonging that leads us to argue online.
936
Sex Robots: the ethical dilemma
TW: sexual violence Sex robots, which are artificially intelligent (AI) technology encased in physical bodies that resemble human...
382
Beyond Immediate Gains: The Ethics of Ceasefire between Israel and Hamas
The need for an Israel/Hamas ceasefire transcends the immediacy of political gains when anchored by longtermist moral imperatives.
478
Javier Milei's anarcho-capitalism is incoherent
In a surprising turn of events, Javier Milei, a self-described “anarcho-capitalist,” has been declared the winner of Argentina’s recent...
619
(Im)moral hazard: the bailout of Silicon Valley Bank
Former FED chairman Paul Volcker once said that “about every ten years we have the greatest crisis in 50 years”. 2023, it seems, will not...
238
High Risk, Low Reward: A Challenge to the Astronomical Importance of Existential Risk Mitigation
Derek Parfit (1984) asks us to consider two scenarios. In the first, a war kills 99% of the world population. This event, Parfit urges,...
408
A Socialist Guide To Effective Altruism
Effective altruism is a movement that believes we should help others as much as possible. This may sound like a bland statement of the...
3,476
Responsible AI: Responsible to Whom?
How the profit motive stages a theatre of ethics washing in Artificial Intelligence There is a burgeoning wave of start-ups and tech...
397
Why implicit bias is not (just) in the head, and why that matters
Meet Professor P. Professor P seems to be the prototypical egalitarian: she is engaged in anti-racist and feminist activities, explicitly...
421
Can Data Save Us From Ourselves?
Epistemic Uncertainty and Data-Driven Policy Making Policy driven by data and science represents the gold standard amongst politicians of...
337
In defence of party democracy
Many complain about the power of party members to select leaders. I argue that, in fact, they should be more empowered.
388
Iran in transition – what is other nations’ “global” moral responsibility?
As protests continue to unfold in Iran, Hossein Dabbagh asks: what responsibilities do international citizens have towards Iranians?
780
The Queen is dead
The Elizabethan age is over. Like when Nietzche declared that ‘God is dead’, we Brits face an existential moment that is ours to define
573
How the monarchy dominates us
Why do republican political philosophers think that monarchy makes us unfree, even if kings and queens never use their powers.
507
Overturning Roe v. Wade: The Court’s New Jurisprudence of Doubt
The precedent of Dobbs may do more than overturn a right to abortion. It may be precedent for fewer rights and more ambiguity in US law.
502
Should the Courts or the People determine rights? It’s complicated..
The US Supreme Court has overturned the right to abortion. This provokes a question: should unelected judges or the People determine rights?
368
Why we need to radically recognise the Homeless
The Homeless are defined by what they have not – a home. Unlike women, disabled people- defined by what they have. Why is this so important?
710
The Ethics of Strikes
A post on the ethics of strikes and industrial action. I argue that workers ought to have the right to strike, and ought to use it.
2,770
Russia’s frozen assets: what becomes of them now?
Russian assets have been frozen by western governments. What should be done with them? Should they be used to compensate Ukrainian victims?
517
‘Society’s to blame’: Banks, Structures and Climate Change
Who is to blame for our lack of divestment from fossil fuels? If banks reflect society, then is it us or them who is responsible?
479
Should government or health experts decide Covid19 policy? The case for depoliticization
Is UK gov 'guided by science', or by its own electoral incentives?This article asks if power to decide should be with experts or politicians
438
Empathy, sympathy and solidarity
Can powerful individuals really empathise with those in weaker positions? Should we rely on their empathy, or instead ask for solidarity?
1,854
Covid-19: Political Turmoil and the Opportunity for Change
Revolutionary socialists have long argued crisis hails an opportunity for economic change. Which societal changes should Covid hail in?
228
What makes a protest violent?
Are we using the same word to describe both bodily violence and illegal damage to property? What are the implications of this on protests?
1,029
COVID-19: Why the threat to democracy depends on the context
How can suspended democracies represent our interests? In less stable states with socioeconomic instability, which interests are legitimate?
272
Have our governments become too powerful? Corona and the State of Exception
Governments have been afforded substantial emergency powers to deal with CoVid19. Does this leave us subject to authoritarianism?
293
Who is to blame? Scapegoating and gaslighting in the era of Covid-19
In response to the CoVid-19 crisis, the US has responded with unfair blaming and scapegoating. Why is this, and, when is blame justified?
826
Should governments prioritise lives, or the economy?
Should governments do everything they can to save lives or should they be concerned about the economic consequences of life-saving policies?
438
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