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Society & CulturePhilosophy

Ethics Untangled

Jim Baxter

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.

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  • 23 episodes
  • fortnightly
  • Avg 44 min
  • English

Episodes 23

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  • Dec 1, 2025 · 39 min

    50. What can comics such as Heartstopper teach us about ethics? With Simon Meisch

    Send us Fan Mail A really interesting conversation with Simon Meisch this week. Simon is a Senior Lecturer for Applied Ethics at the Ethics Centre of the University of Tubingen, and until recently was also a visiting scholar here at IDEA. It's an unusual episode of the podcast in that we aren't talking about a specific ethical issue. Instead, we talk about a particular way of highlighting ethical issues and encouraging discussion of them. That's through engaging with serial narratives, including comic books and TV series. We focused on one particular comic book series, which has been adapted for TV, which is Heartstopper. Aside from enlightening me about that series, Simon makes a convincing case that this is a good way to get at a range of ethical issues, in a way that is complex, subtle and grounded in recognisable situations. Here's the Heartstopper webcomic. Here's Simon's webpage. And here are some other relevant links recommended by Simon: Ben Argon: Philosophy Comics Tim Smyth: Teaching with Comics and Graphic Novels Scott McCloud: Understanding Comics Aaron Meskin: The Philosophy of Comics Aaron Meskin: Teaching & Learning Guide for: The Philosophy of Comics 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/

  • Nov 17, 2025 · 45 min

    49. Are We Deceiving Future Generations About Environmental Crises? With Catriona McKinnon

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode I talk to Professor Catriona McKinnon, a political philosopher based at the University of Exeter. The topic is the various environmental crises facing humanity today. Obviously lots to discuss there, but Catriona wants to highlight one issue in particular, which is the way one generation can, with or without knowing it, conceal information from future generations about the depth and nature of a crisis. This an issue of intergenerational justice, and its one that Catriona thinks deserves more attention. Some links: RENEW: Renewing biodiversity through a people-in-nature approach https://renewbiodiversity.org.uk/ Catriona's University of Exeter site: https://experts.exeter.ac.uk/32795-Catriona-McKinnon Catriona’s book Climate Change and Political Theory https://www.waterstones.com/book/climate-change-and-political-theory/catriona-mckinnon/9781509521661 A lecture by Catriona on postericide Endangering Humanity: An International Crime: https://youtu.be/htQwrrURVOQ?si=DA17u9hBR6qn-iQm. Her book on postericide will be published in 2026 by MIT Press. 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/

  • Nov 3, 2025 · 42 min

    48. How should you act as an in-house lawyer? With Sharon Bridglalsingh

    Send us Fan Mail For the last year and a half, Jim Baxter and the consulting team at IDEA, The Ethics Centre at the University of Leeds, have been working with the Law Society of England and Wales on a project looking at the ethics of in-house law. That project has involved talking to lots of lawyers who are both passionate and insightful about the job and the ethical challenges it presents. None more so than Sharon Bridglalsingh, Director of Law and Governance at Milton Keynes City Council. Sharon was kind enough to come on the podcast and share some of her insights in this wide-ranging conversation. The In-House Ethics Framework which IDEA produced for the Law Society is here: https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/topics/in-house/in-house-ethics-framework/. 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/

Showing 21–23 of 23 episodes