Chris Lean
@chleansaidlane.bsky.social
Philosophy of life sciences (ecology, multi species evolution, medicine) and ethics (environmental, bioethics, technology). Working on biotechnology in conservation and defending conserving biodiversity against its critics.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Worlds first empirical study of whether de-extinction can diminish the public’s commitment to stopping extinctions.
Worlds first empirical study of whether de-extinction can diminish the public’s commitment to stopping extinctions.
De-extinction and the risk of moral hazard
Moral hazard occurs when the presence or promise of a new technology or policy reduces incentives for responsible behaviour, because the consequences …
www.sciencedirect.com
November 25, 2025 at 8:38 PM
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Worlds first empirical study of whether de-extinction can diminish the public’s commitment to stopping extinctions.
Worlds first empirical study of whether de-extinction can diminish the public’s commitment to stopping extinctions.
Only one awarded to all of philosophy. A complete reversal from the DP grants.
🚨 #DECRA #DE26 announcement:
❗️Outcomes announced publicly for Discovery Early Career Researcher Award 2026❗️
See ARC's RMS for list ➡️ https://rms.arc.gov.au/RMS/Report/Download/Report/a3f6be6e-33f7-4fb5-98a6-7526aaa184cf/285
/bot
❗️Outcomes announced publicly for Discovery Early Career Researcher Award 2026❗️
See ARC's RMS for list ➡️ https://rms.arc.gov.au/RMS/Report/Download/Report/a3f6be6e-33f7-4fb5-98a6-7526aaa184cf/285
/bot
November 25, 2025 at 12:27 AM
Only one awarded to all of philosophy. A complete reversal from the DP grants.
After doing 30 hours of Science a week at uni (mostly labs) in my first year I once considered pretending to faint and hit the corner of the table to get out of a biochem lab. Found out in 2nd yr sci you could do His&Phil sci and write conceptual papers with no labs. Rolled on from there to here.
November 22, 2025 at 11:58 PM
After doing 30 hours of Science a week at uni (mostly labs) in my first year I once considered pretending to faint and hit the corner of the table to get out of a biochem lab. Found out in 2nd yr sci you could do His&Phil sci and write conceptual papers with no labs. Rolled on from there to here.
Reposted by Chris Lean
New on the Archive:
Lean, Christopher and Latham, Andrew and Sandrussi, Annie and Rogers, Wendy (2025) De-extinction and the risk of moral hazard. [Preprint]
https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/27257/
Lean, Christopher and Latham, Andrew and Sandrussi, Annie and Rogers, Wendy (2025) De-extinction and the risk of moral hazard. [Preprint]
https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/27257/
November 20, 2025 at 2:15 PM
New on the Archive:
Lean, Christopher and Latham, Andrew and Sandrussi, Annie and Rogers, Wendy (2025) De-extinction and the risk of moral hazard. [Preprint]
https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/27257/
Lean, Christopher and Latham, Andrew and Sandrussi, Annie and Rogers, Wendy (2025) De-extinction and the risk of moral hazard. [Preprint]
https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/27257/
After over 10 years of speculation that de-extinction would create a moral hazard we have done the first study as to whether it will. Very happy with how it turned out and to have my 5th publication this year. philarchive.org/rec/LEADAT
Christopher Lean, Andrew J. Latham, Annie Sandrussi & Wendy Rogers, De-extinction and the risk of moral hazard - PhilArchive
Moral hazard occurs when the presence or promise of a new technology or policy reduces incentives for responsible behaviour, because the consequences of risky behaviour are perceived to be reduced, tr...
philarchive.org
November 20, 2025 at 10:33 AM
After over 10 years of speculation that de-extinction would create a moral hazard we have done the first study as to whether it will. Very happy with how it turned out and to have my 5th publication this year. philarchive.org/rec/LEADAT
Reposted by Chris Lean
Save the CSIRO
Our national science & research agency is now facing more job cuts than under Tony Abbott
Call on the Albanese Govt to fund the scientists & research we need to tackle big issues we face from climate to food security and everything in between
www.davidpocock.com.au/save_our_csiro
Our national science & research agency is now facing more job cuts than under Tony Abbott
Call on the Albanese Govt to fund the scientists & research we need to tackle big issues we face from climate to food security and everything in between
www.davidpocock.com.au/save_our_csiro
November 19, 2025 at 9:49 AM
Save the CSIRO
Our national science & research agency is now facing more job cuts than under Tony Abbott
Call on the Albanese Govt to fund the scientists & research we need to tackle big issues we face from climate to food security and everything in between
www.davidpocock.com.au/save_our_csiro
Our national science & research agency is now facing more job cuts than under Tony Abbott
Call on the Albanese Govt to fund the scientists & research we need to tackle big issues we face from climate to food security and everything in between
www.davidpocock.com.au/save_our_csiro
Lots in the news about libs abandoning net zero but the new labor environment policys are as bad if not worse. Thankfully Lisa Cox has been on top of explaining this to the public. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Biodiversity offsets failed to protect habitat in NSW. Now federal Labor is about to make the same mistakes, critics warn
Offsets were meant to be a last resort for mitigating environmental damage from development projects, but rapidly became the default
www.theguardian.com
November 15, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Lots in the news about libs abandoning net zero but the new labor environment policys are as bad if not worse. Thankfully Lisa Cox has been on top of explaining this to the public. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Happy to be out of Sydney and in the country. Going to my cousins wedding in Tamworth. Funnily the family sheep farm is in Manilla, a small town that has birthed two great Australian philosophers. Kim Sterelny and Mark Colyvan. I think the local pub could do with a plaque to Australia Phil Bio.
November 13, 2025 at 6:28 AM
Happy to be out of Sydney and in the country. Going to my cousins wedding in Tamworth. Funnily the family sheep farm is in Manilla, a small town that has birthed two great Australian philosophers. Kim Sterelny and Mark Colyvan. I think the local pub could do with a plaque to Australia Phil Bio.
My recent work has expressed concern about biodiversity offsetting. The real world context for this is how the Aus laws (see here) have folded in the face of hard choices, fostered old-growth deforestation, and inspired de-X companies to want to emulate biodiversity offsetting on the genomic level.
Back from leave with some analysis of the government’s nature legislation
Will Labor’s environment laws actually address Australia’s biodiversity crisis? Five reasons to be concerned
Experts say the proposed legislation is full of problems, including excessive ministerial discretion and relaxing like-for-like offset rules
www.theguardian.com
November 12, 2025 at 2:39 AM
My recent work has expressed concern about biodiversity offsetting. The real world context for this is how the Aus laws (see here) have folded in the face of hard choices, fostered old-growth deforestation, and inspired de-X companies to want to emulate biodiversity offsetting on the genomic level.
I contributed to the following paper which has already stirred some interest on reddit. I will explain how I think about it and why I wanted to help. I see this paper as a pedagogical tool for those who actively manage animals.
www.frontiersin.org/journals/eco...
www.frontiersin.org/journals/eco...
Frontiers | Ethical arguments that support intentional animal killing
Killing animals is a ubiquitous human activity consistent with our predatory and competitive ecological roles within the global food web. However, this reali...
www.frontiersin.org
November 12, 2025 at 12:59 AM
I contributed to the following paper which has already stirred some interest on reddit. I will explain how I think about it and why I wanted to help. I see this paper as a pedagogical tool for those who actively manage animals.
www.frontiersin.org/journals/eco...
www.frontiersin.org/journals/eco...
Reposted by Chris Lean
Okay, here are some first reflections on Watson.
Watson's life is a tragedy, really of Shakespearean proportions. He did not, as most bios will tell you, do one great thing when he was young and then collect laurels for it for the next 60 years. His career arc was unlike any in science.
Watson's life is a tragedy, really of Shakespearean proportions. He did not, as most bios will tell you, do one great thing when he was young and then collect laurels for it for the next 60 years. His career arc was unlike any in science.
November 8, 2025 at 11:22 PM
Okay, here are some first reflections on Watson.
Watson's life is a tragedy, really of Shakespearean proportions. He did not, as most bios will tell you, do one great thing when he was young and then collect laurels for it for the next 60 years. His career arc was unlike any in science.
Watson's life is a tragedy, really of Shakespearean proportions. He did not, as most bios will tell you, do one great thing when he was young and then collect laurels for it for the next 60 years. His career arc was unlike any in science.
Big news in conservation biotech and a significant consolidation of the major players. Viagen has been a lot quieter in its public persona, but has a clearer income model, selling cloned pets to the rich.
www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...
www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...
Biotech company Colossal, which brought dire wolves back to life, acquires Viagen
Colossal Biosciences, which has brought to life a small pack of genetically modified dire wolves, has acquired cloning company Viagen.
www.usatoday.com
November 7, 2025 at 4:26 AM
Big news in conservation biotech and a significant consolidation of the major players. Viagen has been a lot quieter in its public persona, but has a clearer income model, selling cloned pets to the rich.
www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...
www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...
I am incredibly honoured to give the 2025 Alan Saunders Lecture for the Australasian Association of Philosophy with Kate Lynch. Broadcast tonight. aap.org.au/alansaunders...
I have also written up some notes and citations for it. christopherhlean.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/...
I have also written up some notes and citations for it. christopherhlean.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/...
AAP - Alan Saunders Lecture
aap.org.au
October 23, 2025 at 2:32 AM
I am incredibly honoured to give the 2025 Alan Saunders Lecture for the Australasian Association of Philosophy with Kate Lynch. Broadcast tonight. aap.org.au/alansaunders...
I have also written up some notes and citations for it. christopherhlean.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/...
I have also written up some notes and citations for it. christopherhlean.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/...
Reposted by Chris Lean
I am giving a short online overview of my recent paper, next week. Expect me to be unimpressed with new conservation, compassionate conservation, the multispecies justice movement, and others defending invasive species. Register here:
cassyni.com/events/GXDbo...
cassyni.com/events/GXDbo...
September 23, 2025 at 1:30 AM
I am giving a short online overview of my recent paper, next week. Expect me to be unimpressed with new conservation, compassionate conservation, the multispecies justice movement, and others defending invasive species. Register here:
cassyni.com/events/GXDbo...
cassyni.com/events/GXDbo...
Reposted by Chris Lean
Last month our Centre's Ethics node at Macquarie University hosted the CoESB 2025 Annual Workshop for Capabilities 2: Industrial Translation and 3: Social Dimensions.
The workshop focused on risk, climate change and synthetic biology, and transitions to the bioeconomy.
👉 Read more: bit.ly/4mH9gXm
The workshop focused on risk, climate change and synthetic biology, and transitions to the bioeconomy.
👉 Read more: bit.ly/4mH9gXm
CoESB 2025 Annual Workshop for Capabilities 2 and 3 - ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology
Last month the ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology Ethics node at Macquarie University hosted the CoESB 2025 Annual Workshop for Capabilities 2: Industrial Translation and 3: Social Dimensio...
bit.ly
September 24, 2025 at 12:19 AM
Last month our Centre's Ethics node at Macquarie University hosted the CoESB 2025 Annual Workshop for Capabilities 2: Industrial Translation and 3: Social Dimensions.
The workshop focused on risk, climate change and synthetic biology, and transitions to the bioeconomy.
👉 Read more: bit.ly/4mH9gXm
The workshop focused on risk, climate change and synthetic biology, and transitions to the bioeconomy.
👉 Read more: bit.ly/4mH9gXm
I am giving a short online overview of my recent paper, next week. Expect me to be unimpressed with new conservation, compassionate conservation, the multispecies justice movement, and others defending invasive species. Register here:
cassyni.com/events/GXDbo...
cassyni.com/events/GXDbo...
September 23, 2025 at 1:30 AM
I am giving a short online overview of my recent paper, next week. Expect me to be unimpressed with new conservation, compassionate conservation, the multispecies justice movement, and others defending invasive species. Register here:
cassyni.com/events/GXDbo...
cassyni.com/events/GXDbo...
Reposted by Chris Lean
We’re excited to launch the official BlueSky profile of ISHPSSB! Founded in 1998, we connect researchers in philosophy, history, and social studies of biology and medicine worldwide. Follow us for updates and events! #PhilosophyOfBiology, #HistoryOfScience, #STS, #Biology, #Medicine
September 7, 2025 at 2:21 PM
We’re excited to launch the official BlueSky profile of ISHPSSB! Founded in 1998, we connect researchers in philosophy, history, and social studies of biology and medicine worldwide. Follow us for updates and events! #PhilosophyOfBiology, #HistoryOfScience, #STS, #Biology, #Medicine
Cool paper on ecological function from Clark. I find it plausible there is some consilience between the entities identified by function theories, whether these ground a unified normativity I am unsure but will be interested to see how the literature moves from this point. philpapers.org/rec/CLAWTL-2
Colby J. Clark, Why the Liberality Criterion Is Dysfunctional for Theories of Ecological Function - PhilPapers
Theories of ecological function often appeal to the liberality criterion to evaluate a theory’s adequacy. The liberality criterion requires that a functional description successfully differentiates be...
philpapers.org
August 29, 2025 at 12:41 AM
Cool paper on ecological function from Clark. I find it plausible there is some consilience between the entities identified by function theories, whether these ground a unified normativity I am unsure but will be interested to see how the literature moves from this point. philpapers.org/rec/CLAWTL-2
Being an academic vagrant (post doc) means spending too much time struggling to access academic journals. Each time a change of Uni, a new email and no access to the old one. I probably get a heap of paper sent to review that I never see.
August 28, 2025 at 12:24 AM
Being an academic vagrant (post doc) means spending too much time struggling to access academic journals. Each time a change of Uni, a new email and no access to the old one. I probably get a heap of paper sent to review that I never see.
#ishpssb next session (11-12.30) room BLB5. Jay Odenbaugh, Mark Bedau, and me as the last talk. Stacked session on issues in ecology and synthetic biology. You will regret not seeing it.
July 25, 2025 at 8:39 AM
#ishpssb next session (11-12.30) room BLB5. Jay Odenbaugh, Mark Bedau, and me as the last talk. Stacked session on issues in ecology and synthetic biology. You will regret not seeing it.
Reposted by Chris Lean
Shannon's H, Simpson's D, and Pielou's J are useless in ecology. Fitting data with a compound abundance distribution based on the geometric series is a better way to quantify variation – and to estimate species richness. New paper in Ecology Letters.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
July 24, 2025 at 11:14 AM
Shannon's H, Simpson's D, and Pielou's J are useless in ecology. Fitting data with a compound abundance distribution based on the geometric series is a better way to quantify variation – and to estimate species richness. New paper in Ecology Letters.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Arrived in Lisbon after 24 hours from lift off in Sydney. Tomorrow in Porto for #ISHPSSB2025. Looking forward to catching up with everyone and seeing what is new in Phil bio.
July 18, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Arrived in Lisbon after 24 hours from lift off in Sydney. Tomorrow in Porto for #ISHPSSB2025. Looking forward to catching up with everyone and seeing what is new in Phil bio.
Reposted by Chris Lean
3-year Postdoc in philosophy of biology w/ @lucielaplane.bsky.social in Paris on cell lineages; interdisciplinary project w/ mathematicians & biologists. Conceptually-minded historians & social scientists also welcome to apply. Project start in early 2026. Application opens soon #HPS #hpbio #STS
July 16, 2025 at 5:32 PM
3-year Postdoc in philosophy of biology w/ @lucielaplane.bsky.social in Paris on cell lineages; interdisciplinary project w/ mathematicians & biologists. Conceptually-minded historians & social scientists also welcome to apply. Project start in early 2026. Application opens soon #HPS #hpbio #STS
New #ISHPSSB schedule out. I am now speaking on the Friday in the second session: ‘Scientific, Social, and Ethical Facets of Complex Biological Systems’.
virtual.oxfordabstracts.com/event/73530/...
virtual.oxfordabstracts.com/event/73530/...
OA Virtual conferences
virtual.oxfordabstracts.com
July 16, 2025 at 9:32 PM
New #ISHPSSB schedule out. I am now speaking on the Friday in the second session: ‘Scientific, Social, and Ethical Facets of Complex Biological Systems’.
virtual.oxfordabstracts.com/event/73530/...
virtual.oxfordabstracts.com/event/73530/...
Reposted by Chris Lean
A powerful, persuasive, emotional & evidence-based rebuttal to Wallach & Lundgren’s claims, from Professor John Woinarski.
My own view, it’s essential for science to challenge dogma, but if this is not done in a robust way, using weight of evidence, it is reckless & potentially harmful. #ICCB2025
My own view, it’s essential for science to challenge dogma, but if this is not done in a robust way, using weight of evidence, it is reckless & potentially harmful. #ICCB2025
June 19, 2025 at 1:22 AM
A powerful, persuasive, emotional & evidence-based rebuttal to Wallach & Lundgren’s claims, from Professor John Woinarski.
My own view, it’s essential for science to challenge dogma, but if this is not done in a robust way, using weight of evidence, it is reckless & potentially harmful. #ICCB2025
My own view, it’s essential for science to challenge dogma, but if this is not done in a robust way, using weight of evidence, it is reckless & potentially harmful. #ICCB2025