Pete West-Oram
@peterwest-oram.bsky.social
Philosopher and bioethicist. Working mainly on questions of justice and ethical practice in health and health care. Opinions my own. He/him
Pinned
Medical Research Ethics Among UK Doctors (Survey)
Our aim is to understand how research-active clinicians in the UK conceptualise and experience research ethics governance, and to engage research-active clinicians and medical research ethics experts ...
universityofsussex.eu.qualtrics.com
Calling UK-based research-active clinicians: BSMS researchers are seeking to understand how research-active clinicians experience current research ethics governance processes. Please access the confidential online survey here: universityofsussex.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
Reposted by Pete West-Oram
"tough decision" = a decision made by someone in authority to hurt someone vulnerable or abandon a basic moral principle in order to appease bullies, bigots or donors. Often someone taking a "tough decision" will be commended for their "moral courage" by a newspaper columnist
November 21, 2025 at 8:40 AM
"tough decision" = a decision made by someone in authority to hurt someone vulnerable or abandon a basic moral principle in order to appease bullies, bigots or donors. Often someone taking a "tough decision" will be commended for their "moral courage" by a newspaper columnist
Reposted by Pete West-Oram
On #WorldPhilosophyDay2025 learn about project EPIC: a 40-second video with our aims and focus showing the range of cases we will address in our ongoing empirical work: youtu.be/ii7btQ52p-o #philsky #EpistemicInjustice
EPIC: Epistemic Injustice in Healthcare
This short video introduces project EPIC, on epistemic injustice in healthcare. For more information, see the EPIC website: https://epistemicinjusticeinhealthcare.org/
youtu.be
November 20, 2025 at 9:00 AM
On #WorldPhilosophyDay2025 learn about project EPIC: a 40-second video with our aims and focus showing the range of cases we will address in our ongoing empirical work: youtu.be/ii7btQ52p-o #philsky #EpistemicInjustice
Reposted by Pete West-Oram
On #WorldPhilosophyDay2025 learn about project EPIC: here is our website with details of our seminar series, our open access articles and books, our six case studies and many online resources for everyone epistemicinjusticein... #philsky #epistemicinjustice
November 20, 2025 at 8:00 AM
On #WorldPhilosophyDay2025 learn about project EPIC: here is our website with details of our seminar series, our open access articles and books, our six case studies and many online resources for everyone epistemicinjusticein... #philsky #epistemicinjustice
Reposted by Pete West-Oram
Alf Dubs is a 92 year old man who spent his life fighting for refugees, and in particular for refugee children. He fought the Tories tooth and nail during their last three terms, only to see Labour adopt far-right policies on immigration.
“But to use children as a weapon ... I’m lost for words.”
“But to use children as a weapon ... I’m lost for words.”
Labour Peer Who Fled The Nazis Condemns His Party's Immigration Crackdown
Lord Dubs said he was "lost for words".
www.huffingtonpost.co.uk
November 19, 2025 at 8:20 AM
Alf Dubs is a 92 year old man who spent his life fighting for refugees, and in particular for refugee children. He fought the Tories tooth and nail during their last three terms, only to see Labour adopt far-right policies on immigration.
“But to use children as a weapon ... I’m lost for words.”
“But to use children as a weapon ... I’m lost for words.”
Reposted by Pete West-Oram
I mean quite apart from anything else, given the revolt of your backbenchers that seems to be happening right now… perhaps you should care, actually
Green MP Carla Denyer accuses Shabana Mahmood of trying to "out Reform Reform" and says "toxic racist narratives and the scapegoating of migrants" are to blame for "tearing our country apart" not migrants.
Mahmood: "I couldn't care less what any other political party has to say about these matters"
Mahmood: "I couldn't care less what any other political party has to say about these matters"
November 17, 2025 at 8:18 PM
I mean quite apart from anything else, given the revolt of your backbenchers that seems to be happening right now… perhaps you should care, actually
Reposted by Pete West-Oram
there's a moment in PARADISE LOST where Satan arrives in Eden and realizes Hell isn't a place; it's a thing he carries within him and it'll follow him wherever he goes. and i think about that when i see these awful rich men whose monstrous wealth has enriched them not at all
“whatever club he’s invited to join has been devalued by the invitation”
November 11, 2025 at 6:31 AM
there's a moment in PARADISE LOST where Satan arrives in Eden and realizes Hell isn't a place; it's a thing he carries within him and it'll follow him wherever he goes. and i think about that when i see these awful rich men whose monstrous wealth has enriched them not at all
Reposted by Pete West-Oram
Joyce Carol Oates: Demonstrating the Value of the Humanities through Public Ownership of the Richest Man on Earth
November 11, 2025 at 3:56 AM
Joyce Carol Oates: Demonstrating the Value of the Humanities through Public Ownership of the Richest Man on Earth
Reposted by Pete West-Oram
A thing about AI in higher ed right now is that half of us are scrambling to deal with the implosion of our information environment that broke reading/writing/source verification, while the other half is trying to achieve a massive institutional buy-in of the very thing that's causing the implosion
November 7, 2025 at 1:30 AM
A thing about AI in higher ed right now is that half of us are scrambling to deal with the implosion of our information environment that broke reading/writing/source verification, while the other half is trying to achieve a massive institutional buy-in of the very thing that's causing the implosion
Reposted by Pete West-Oram
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
The Shutdown of U.S.A.I.D. Has Already Killed Hundreds of Thousands
The short documentary “Rovina’s Choice” tells the story of what goes when aid goes.
newyorkermag.visitlink.me
November 6, 2025 at 9:00 PM
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
Reposted by Pete West-Oram
The current REF system really encourages temporary staff to burn down their own careers - either you complete research because you need it for your CV, but an institution can claim any resulting outputs before making you redundant so you've nothing to take elsewhere, or...
November 7, 2025 at 10:03 AM
The current REF system really encourages temporary staff to burn down their own careers - either you complete research because you need it for your CV, but an institution can claim any resulting outputs before making you redundant so you've nothing to take elsewhere, or...
Reposted by Pete West-Oram
I'm going to go out on a limb and say this is probably the first time in American history a sitting governor has used that particular -- and particularly apt -- phrase in a public speech
If I didn't live in California I'd move to Illinois.
November 5, 2025 at 9:54 PM
I'm going to go out on a limb and say this is probably the first time in American history a sitting governor has used that particular -- and particularly apt -- phrase in a public speech
Reposted by Pete West-Oram
![image of andrew cuomo at his nyc mayoral election watch party with disco elysium ui text overlay that reads:
Suggestion [Challenging: Failure] - You thought you did everything right. You had the money, the power, and the fame. Where did it all go wrong? Why couldn't those sniveling little city dwellers see that you were meant to lead them? You're now a twice certified loser from a family of winners. Your father's name is on a bridge. Your name is next to a Wikipedia entry that says "sexual harassment allegations."](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:eqh433fdh2bqhvt455e3tg67/bafkreibvgcmgeluhegcun73wdfsve7nzg3djqxf5cnpxz6t54i7jsf5uby@jpeg)
Reposted by Pete West-Oram
REMINDER: A socialist act by a New Yorker was a major reason why polio was eliminated in the US.
November 4, 2025 at 10:41 PM
REMINDER: A socialist act by a New Yorker was a major reason why polio was eliminated in the US.
Reposted by Pete West-Oram
I knew it would take less than a day for a tiktok dj to make something.
November 5, 2025 at 12:13 PM
I knew it would take less than a day for a tiktok dj to make something.
One of the mostly socially corrosive ideas currently percolating is that it isn't the content of a person's beliefs that matter, only that they (claim to) have those beliefs. We should not respect all beliefs, some are not only wrong but cruel, evil and wrong. Substance matters.
I suppose it was only a matter of time, once judges decided that transphobia was protected under the Equality Act, before they decided that full blown fascism was (www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crim...).
November 5, 2025 at 9:50 AM
One of the mostly socially corrosive ideas currently percolating is that it isn't the content of a person's beliefs that matter, only that they (claim to) have those beliefs. We should not respect all beliefs, some are not only wrong but cruel, evil and wrong. Substance matters.
Reposted by Pete West-Oram
I suppose it was only a matter of time, once judges decided that transphobia was protected under the Equality Act, before they decided that full blown fascism was (www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crim...).
November 5, 2025 at 6:58 AM
I suppose it was only a matter of time, once judges decided that transphobia was protected under the Equality Act, before they decided that full blown fascism was (www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crim...).
Reposted by Pete West-Oram
AI search summaries are something we have been talking about a lot at @pifonline.bsky.social recently.
It was great to chat to @zoeamar.bsky.social for this @charitycomms.bsky.social article about the issues charities are facing – and how they can respond.
It was great to chat to @zoeamar.bsky.social for this @charitycomms.bsky.social article about the issues charities are facing – and how they can respond.
In this timely blog, Zoe Amar alongside digital experts across the sector explores AI's impact on search, as audiences turn to AI-generated summaries rather than charity websites. Dive in to read why this matters and what you can do to maintain visibility, trust, and support: https://bit.ly/47ei42m
AI’s impact on search: What your charity can do about disintermediation
Zoe Amar talks to fellow digital experts about how charities can respond to the influence of AI summaries and tools on how people find information online.
bit.ly
October 31, 2025 at 10:28 AM
AI search summaries are something we have been talking about a lot at @pifonline.bsky.social recently.
It was great to chat to @zoeamar.bsky.social for this @charitycomms.bsky.social article about the issues charities are facing – and how they can respond.
It was great to chat to @zoeamar.bsky.social for this @charitycomms.bsky.social article about the issues charities are facing – and how they can respond.
Reposted by Pete West-Oram
I can answer this. I interviewed Peterson's tailor a few years ago, although the interview was never published because I fell behind on work. Here is the story of this suit. 🧵
October 31, 2025 at 2:43 AM
I can answer this. I interviewed Peterson's tailor a few years ago, although the interview was never published because I fell behind on work. Here is the story of this suit. 🧵
Reposted by Pete West-Oram
I've built a socioeconomic system that depends on everyone to do useful work and act ethically except the people at the top, who get unimaginable rewards for being antisocial frauds and criminals. And I think it will stand the test of time
October 28, 2025 at 7:16 PM
I've built a socioeconomic system that depends on everyone to do useful work and act ethically except the people at the top, who get unimaginable rewards for being antisocial frauds and criminals. And I think it will stand the test of time
9/16, through the sophisticated methodology of aiming for the most asinine, incoherent combination of beliefs and votes. www.americansurveycenter.org/results/p7QT...
October 29, 2025 at 10:05 AM
9/16, through the sophisticated methodology of aiming for the most asinine, incoherent combination of beliefs and votes. www.americansurveycenter.org/results/p7QT...
Reposted by Pete West-Oram
This is what happened to my Grandfather in Frankfurt, Germany on 9th November 1938, commonly known as Kristallnacht.
In Portland, Oregon, masked ICE GOONS abducted and vanished US citizen Gonzalo Catalan last week. Tragically, his family remains unaware of his whereabouts and has not received any communication from him as of today.
October 29, 2025 at 4:13 AM
This is what happened to my Grandfather in Frankfurt, Germany on 9th November 1938, commonly known as Kristallnacht.
Reposted by Pete West-Oram
'The Rev Clive Foster said Windrush scandal survivors were questioning whether “history is repeating itself” as UK politicians target legal migrants.'
Essential, timely reading.
Essential, timely reading.
Windrush commissioner: Black Britons asking if UK is ‘going backwards’
Rev Clive Foster says rhetoric targeting legal migrants makes some wonder if history is repeating itself
www.theguardian.com
October 27, 2025 at 7:21 AM
'The Rev Clive Foster said Windrush scandal survivors were questioning whether “history is repeating itself” as UK politicians target legal migrants.'
Essential, timely reading.
Essential, timely reading.
I'll be running in the annual Santa Dash 5k this December to help raise money for Rockinghorse Children's Charity, a Brighton based charity which supports sick and disabled children across Sussex. If you're able to sponsor me, you can do so here: www.justgiving.com/page/santa-d...
Kate, Pete and Sheena's fundraiser for Rockinghorse
Help Sheena Campbell raise money to support Rockinghorse Children's Charity
www.justgiving.com
October 25, 2025 at 10:36 AM
I'll be running in the annual Santa Dash 5k this December to help raise money for Rockinghorse Children's Charity, a Brighton based charity which supports sick and disabled children across Sussex. If you're able to sponsor me, you can do so here: www.justgiving.com/page/santa-d...
Reposted by Pete West-Oram
One of my colleagues discovered a journal had published an article co-authored by her that she never wrote. Appears to have been AI generated and put behind a paywall. Identity fraud, plagiarism, exploitation. Just more awesome benefits of AI...
#NihilismAndTechnology
#NihilismAndTechnology
October 24, 2025 at 7:03 AM
One of my colleagues discovered a journal had published an article co-authored by her that she never wrote. Appears to have been AI generated and put behind a paywall. Identity fraud, plagiarism, exploitation. Just more awesome benefits of AI...
#NihilismAndTechnology
#NihilismAndTechnology
Reposted by Pete West-Oram
Yet again, we can't afford to let LLMs become a source of epistemic grounding for society.
Largest study of its kind shows AI assistants misrepresent news content 45% of the time – regardless of language or territory
An intensive international study was coordinated by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and led by the BBC
www.bbc.co.uk
October 24, 2025 at 5:21 AM
Yet again, we can't afford to let LLMs become a source of epistemic grounding for society.