Law & Ethics – School of Law & Social Sciences Blog

The UK Supreme Court on Biological Sex: A Tale of Two Legal Perspectives

Introduction to the Legal Debate At birth, sex is typically recorded as an observable fact, seemingly straightforward, biologically determined, and legally uncontroversial. Yet in a striking turn, this foundational classification has become the subject of constitutional scrutiny, culminating in a landmark 2025 decision by the UK Supreme Court. Originating in the Scottish courts, the case […]

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Dealing with the past: a local and global imperative (Part III)

Carole Lyons

In Parts 1 and 2 of this reflection ssome of the issues arising on a global level in the Slavery and Reparations debate were considered. In this final Part, a glance is cast at a local level and on the legacies of enslavement in our more immediate environment. Local connections On a stroll around the

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Dealing with the past: a local and global imperative (Part II)

Carole Lyons

In Part 1 of this reflection, some of the general issues arising in relation to justice for past wrongs were considered. In this second Part, specific issues arising in relation to reparations for transatlantic chattel enslavement are discussed. Slavery and Reparations If you are of a certain age and have a TV watching disposition, you

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Dealing with the past: a local and global imperative (Part I)

Carole Lyons

In a few weeks’ time, it will be the fifth anniversary of the toppling of the statue of the seventeenth century Bristol slave trader, Edward Colston. This event generated a significant debate about how the wrongs of the past, and in particular, slavery, should be dealt with. In Bristol itself, where Colston has been widely

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Is Assisted Dying a ‘Right’?

Dr Hamish Ross

In setting a frame of reference for a discussion of euthanasia in the late 1990s, John Finnis – as always, with great erudition – pointed out that “arguments for legalising euthanasia rely on claims about autonomy rights, or claims about political pluralism, or on both sorts of claim”. From early in his article Finnis challenged

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Clarity, compassion and choice — what next for Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill and why status quo is ‘anything but safe’

Dr Sarah Sivers

The Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill can provide clarity, compassion and choice. On the evening of 13th May 2025, the Scottish Parliament did something it’s never done before. It passed an assisted dying bill at stage 1. “The debate was an illustration of a respectful and robust exchange” Prior to this, three

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A Return to the Hart–Fuller Debate – Part II

Dr Hamish Ross

This is Part II of a two-part piece. Part I outlined a few of the elements of the famous Hart–Fuller debate, focusing on HLA Hart’s position. Part II places the emphasis upon Lon Fuller’s response to Hart’s position. Later, in taking stock of the lessons to be learnt from the Hart–Fuller debate viewed in its

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Disputes in Paediatric End-of-life Care: Understanding Causes and Pathways to Resolution in NHS Grampian

Dr Sarah Sivers and Margaret Downie

Introduction Disagreeing with another person is difficult and often horrible. It is hard to imagine how much more difficult this is when doctors and parents disagree on the treatment of a child with a life-limiting condition. No such cases have yet come before Scottish courts, but a number have come through English courts, of which

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Considering the Ethical Implications of Generative AI

Dr Abby Othman Wilson

In the long-established field of artificial intelligence (AI), a new dawn has emerged with the advent of generative AI. Generative AI is a branch of artificial intelligence that creates new content, such as images or text, that appears to be created by humans. This revolutionary technology has captured the attention of researchers, developers, and the

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Decentralised Justice, AI, and the Pursuit of Excellence

Dr Andrey Kotelnikov

In previous years, the absolute favourite topic of my Postgraduate Law class on Online Dispute Resolution was the fascinating realm of new blockchain-based platforms, which always captured the attention and imagination of students. The allure of vast wealth in cryptocurrencies during the bull market, combined with intellectual possibilities like adapting the existing legal framework for

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A Return to the Hart-Fuller Debate – Part I

Dr Hamish Ross

(This article is in two parts. Part I outlines a few of the elements of the famous Hart-Fuller debate, touching on the relevance of the debate to the events playing out in Eastern Europe (Ukraine and Russia) in the recent past. There are parallels to be drawn between laws enacted in Hitler’s Germany during the

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