Philosophy & Ethics

Companies In Rehab (And Governments. And Universities.)

A guy messes up his life, and the lives of those around him. We send him for rehabilitation: A jail term, AA meetings, community service, anger management classes, or restitution to victims. ...

Article - Fred Phillips - Jan 3 2025 - 10:59am

Telling Right From Wrong: Why Is Utilitarianism Under Attack?

It is a word we hear from time to time, but few of us know what it means. Utilitarianism is the method most people use to decide whether an action is right or wrong. We decide the moral merits of what we do on whether the consequences of that action are go ...

Article - The Conversation - May 5 2025 - 4:43pm

Brain Organoid Research Shows Science Academia Needs Stronger Ethical Oversight

As the Trump administration continues to make significant cuts to NIH budgets and personnel and to freeze billions of dollars of funding to major research universities – citing ideological concerns – there’s more being threatened than just progress in sci ...

Article - The Conversation - May 9 2025 - 9:34am

Editorial: This Week’s LA Non-riots

A Facebook friend opined that Los Angeles protesters could “turn LA into another Portland.” I expand for you my rejoinder to his post: ...

Article - Fred Phillips - Jun 9 2025 - 6:03pm