10 August to 7 September

Reflecting ethically at Leeds Met*

Ethical reflections have now been running for almost four years and have addressed a wide range of topics, many of which are of interest to a wider audience than just our own staff and students. As a result contributions have come from Canada, New Zealand, Germany, the West Indies, Cyprus, Poland, Sweden, Zimbabwe and the US, as well as the UK. Authors include school pupils; school teachers; business people, and religious leaders (the Chief Rabbi as well as two Canons and an Archbishop from the Anglican Church); one politician (Tony Benn) and one carpenter, as well as academics. The range of topics has been huge; we have for example, had reflections about mental health; disability; climate change; slavery; animal research; reconciliation; mountaineering; the internet; sports coaching; incest; human trafficking; the uses of space; human rights, and the rights of robots.

Ethical reflections will now have a rest for four weeks, beginning again on 7th September. During the coming year I am keen to work with colleagues who want to explore ethical issues in their academic and professional areas, by writing ethical reflections and in other ways, and invite you to send me reflections, or write to me about ethical concerns/interests.

Gavin Fairbairn, Running Stream Professor of Ethics and Language, School of Applied Global Ethics. g.fairbairn@leedsmet.ac.uk

*For advice about writing ethical reflections click here.