By Arjun Devanesan Recently, a group of philosophers have engaged in a lively dispute about the metaphysics of pregnancy. Specifically, Elselijn Kingma argued that, contrary to popular opinion, a foetus is not merely contained by a gestator like a bun in an oven, but a part of its body. Other authors (including myself) have argued […]
Latest articles
Advertising to the distressed: The commodification of mental health data in AI chatbots
By Nicole Gross and Hannah van Kolfschooten Generative Artificial Intelligence (genAI) chatbots have become an important outlet for many people around the world who are experiencing mental health issues. Of its 800 million weekly users, around 10 percent use ChatGPT for emotional support while more than one million use the chatbot to talk about issues […]
Computer programs for moral advice
By Lars Lindblom and Erik Gustavsson AI is coming to health care. But what is AI? Ethem Alpaydin’s excellent Machine Learning: The New AI provides a helpful definition: Programing computers to do things, which, if done by humans, would be said to require “intelligence”. This definition captures something important about how to conceive of AI […]
The hidden cost of miracle cures
By Dr Peter Carter GLP‑1 weight‑loss drugs are promoted as life‑changing treatments. They help people lose weight quickly and offer a sense of control that many have not felt before. But is this view too short-termist? The central issue is durability. These drugs work while people take them, but the benefits can evaporate when treatment […]
Don’t let AI steal your first thought
By Nguyen Phu Nghia In January 2026, Utah (USA) announced a first-in-the-nation partnership allowing an AI system to support prescription medication renewals for patients, moving beyond suggestion and into direct participation in clinical workflow. Similarly, Mass General Brigham has implemented an AI-supported primary care program in which an AI agent collects patient histories, generates preliminary […]
Is it unfair discrimination to treat the unvaccinated differently?
By Lydia Tsiakiri and Andreas Albertsen Six years ago, the WHO officially declared the COVID-19 outbreak to be a pandemic. This declaration triggered lockdowns, rapid vaccine development, and a wide range of emergency public health measures. Yet the pandemic also revealed how unprepared societies were to address its practical and ethical aspects. On the practical […]
Hoping for MAiD
By Maya Ishikura Last March, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) released a report illustrating their concerns with Canada’s Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) law. Committee Expert, Rosemary Kayess, explained that Canadians with disabilities were seeking MAiD due to unjust social conditions that the state should be addressing. Directing […]
No person is an island: Incidental findings in a world of relationships
By Max Tretter One of my favorite TV series of all time is Breaking Bad. Most people probably know the show—and if you don’t, it is well worth watching. Early in the series, the protagonist Walter White, a quiet high school chemistry teacher and father, receives devastating news: he has advanced lung cancer. Confronted with […]
If we cannot be sure about fetal pain, what should we do?
By Stuart WG Derbyshire For more than thirty years I have written about fetal pain. And for almost as long I have been asked the same question: “But can you be sure?” For a long time I was sure. Neuroscience had seemingly established the cortex as necessary for conscious experience, and the cortex does not […]
Two ears, one standard: Why and how bilateral cochlear implantation should be routine care for adults
By Wendy J. Huinck, Simone Naber, Stef Groenewoud and Adriana L. Smit Cochlear implantation (CI) is an effective treatment for severe hearing loss with major benefits for quality of life. Untreated hearing loss has far‑reaching consequences: children with congenital deafness show altered development with long‑term effects on language and speech, while adults who lose hearing […]