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William Gildea

@williamgildea.bsky.social
324 followers 235 following 112 posts

Human equality, justice, animal ethics. Researcher in philosophy at McGill and the Centre for Research in Ethics in Montreal.

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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Grateful that LabourList just published my call for a step-change in animal protection from new UK govt. labourlist.org/2026/07/why-...
labourlist.org
'Why Burnham’s government must act on animals' - LabourList
Labour should start a broader conversation about the place of the other animals in an inclusive politics and how to end abuse.
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
Tuchel: please stay. #worldcup
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
Abolish FIFA. Set up new world cup without them.
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
Sex, dating, and discrimination. New episode today! We ask: what counts as discrimination in dating, and what is simply following your preferences? Is looks-based discrimination a thing? And more! linktr.ee/surprisinget...
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
My review of Life Without Degrees of Moral Status is out in the Journal of Moral Philosophy! Wendler argues animals are our equals in a new way. #philosophy #animalethics Check it out: www.williamgildea.com/s/Gildea-Lif...
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Are activists who fight for good with a bad strategy morally compromised? New episode! Ft. Tobias Leenaert Covers the surprising case against certain forms of activism, catharsis, community, and principles for success in activism. Case study of hardline vegan activism. linktr.ee/surprisinget...
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
New episode! Let me know what you think :)
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
Is the manosphere making men incapable of love? Latest episode of @surprising-ethics.bsky.social tackles what love is, positive masculinity, longing, loneliness, and modern misogyny. linktr.ee/surprisinget...
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
The status quo holds that a homo sapiens shouldn't be killed/executed even for committing ten sets of mass murders, but that a pig can be killed because someone wants a nice snack. Is this momentous pedestal we set ourselves on really sustainable? #humanrights #animalrights
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 06/04/2026
www.mcgill.ca/newsroom/cha...
mcgill.ca
Humans share acoustic preferences with other animals, study shows
A McGill University-led study has found that humans share acoustic preferences with other species, at least when it comes to animal calls. The results provide experimental evidence that shared sensory...
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
It's live and taking off! Is the manosphere making men incapable of love? New episode of Surprising Ethics! Listen hereeee linktr.ee/surprisinget...
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
Come on @theguardian.com. Most of this reads like a fossil fuel lobby press release. Is it? #climate www.theguardian.com/business/202...
theguardian.com
Ministers rebuff trade body’s call to boost North Sea oil and gas production
Government emphasises need to ‘get off the rollercoaster of fossil fuel markets’ in response to Offshore Energies UK
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
Very grateful that The Ecologist has covered my podcast! theecologist.org/2026/mar/17/...
theecologist.org
Sound ideas
Podcasters show how philosophers are trying to upend the status quo in unexpected ways.
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
The UK kills 1 billion chickens a year for meat. Only for meat. Every year. Only the UK. One billion. Jesus.
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 07/03/2026
This is exactly what I thought - until I inched past total incompetence. And no, skiing is not exactly expensive if you're in Québec www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
The hill I will die on: People who ski have more money than sense | Emma Loffhagen
Extortionate costs, queueing in the cold and potentially life-altering injuries? No thanks. And don’t get me started on the EDM après-ski hell, says freelance editor Emma Loffhagen
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 03/03/2026
Trifan argues kids above 10ish should have the vote if they can pass a competence test. We had a great chat - do tune in! linktr.ee/surprisinget... #politicaltheory
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Jonathan Birch @birchlse.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
My Centre is a unique place to do a PhD in Philosophy, because you can be in constant contact with experts in veterinary medicine, psychology, zoology and policy and be part of a team united by a shared interest in animal minds. We now have our 1st ever PhD scholarship: www.lse.ac.uk/sentience/phd
lse.ac.uk
PhD Scholarship
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 02/02/2026
My latest episode! Such a stimulating conversation with Rachel Fredericks and Jeremy Fischer. Their paper is quite something.
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Surprising Ethics podcast @surprising-ethics.bsky.social · 02/02/2026
New episode! What should parents feed their kids? Meat or plant-based? We use ethics, science and psychology to tackle this big one, and put 2 philosophers' arguments to the test with parents
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
The very real trials and tribulations of living in Canada as a Brit.
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 19/01/2026
"Our milk"? Really? Surely it's either the cow's milk or the calf's milk? Especially as removing the calf is the first step in taking and selling the #milk...
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
This seemingly really cool project has a postdoc on emotions and grievance politics: www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DQD118/r... #academia
jobs.ac.uk
Research Fellow in Emotions and Grievance Politics at University of Southampton
Discover Research Fellow in Emotions and Grievance Politics jobs and more in higher education on jobs.ac.uk. Apply for further details on the top job board.
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 01/01/2026
The #newyearsresolutions episode of my podcast discusses how focusing on process over outcome can be more fulfilling and whether resolutions are a good idea in a culture of hyper-productivity. Let me know what you think! linktr.ee/surprisinget...
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Surprising Ethics podcast @surprising-ethics.bsky.social · 27/12/2025
New episode: the philosophy of new year's resolutions! On how we can set better #newyearsresolutions by focusing on process not achievements. And on Bertrand Russell's call to focus on leisure and escape our ideology of overwork. linktr.ee/surprisinget...
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 23/12/2025
Not at all suss: "Dear William Gildea, Greetings from the office of International Journal of Philosophy Your crucial role in the progression of knowledge is evident By joining the editorial team, you will access: Gratitude [list cont] Not interested in the daily reports? Unsubscribe"
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 22/12/2025
Trump: #Greenland is essential to our national security. I'd imagine Greenland finds Greenland pretty much essential for their national security too.
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
The Pamphlet has just published this feature of my podcast! www.the-pamphlet.com/articles/sur...
the-pamphlet.com
“Surprising Ethics”: Interview with William Gildea — THE PAMPHLET
“Surprising Ethics” aims to be an accessible philosophy podcast. Can you tell us more about your mission and why you think philosophy should be made more understandable? Do you think podcasts are part...
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 18/12/2025
Back to pens and paper in the exam hall? (For most students). Universities must grip cheating and defend education: their founding purpose. Surely we cannot allow university degrees to be undermined by corporate interests, whether AI-based or otherwise www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Essay cheating at universities an 'open secret' despite new law
An essay mill owner says he's made millions, while an ex-lecturer says he quit due to rife cheating.
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 11/12/2025
The land of the free www.theguardian.com/football/202...
theguardian.com
Trump plan for World Cup tourists to reveal social media activity described as ‘chilling’
A plan to require fans travelling to the US for the World Cup to disclose information about their social media accounts has been described as ‘chilling’
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 11/12/2025
I stopped using Times New Roman *precisely* because it doesn't look professional - not in this century... www.cnn.com/2025/12/10/p...
cnn.com
Rubio directs diplomats to return to using Times New Roman, undoing Biden-era switch to Calibri | CNN Politics
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has directed the State Department to go back to using Times New Roman typeface as the standard for official papers, a spokesperson told CNN, in a reversal of the prev...
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 11/12/2025
The EU's public consultation on animal welfare closes on Friday. Non-EU citizens can submit too. Here's a pre filled but editable form which makes it super quick. #animalrights act.animainternational.org?fbclid=IwY2x...
act.animainternational.org
Show up for animals – Public consultation on animal welfare
Have your say in the public consultation on animal welfare. Your voice matters.
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 05/12/2025
This is heartwarming, but underlines the core truth: virtually no animal ever escapes slaughter. We decide their fate. We force them into the slaughterhouse doors. We decide the reasons, the timing, the method, the conditions. They have no power, and then no life www.theguardian.com/fashion/2025...
theguardian.com
Just not that into ewes: ‘gay sheep’ escape slaughter and take over a New York catwalk
Designer Michael Schmidt’s 36-piece collection was made from the wool of rams who have shown same-sex attraction
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
NEW episode: why envy can be *good*, according to @saraprotasi.bsky.social. Our conversation covers envy's role in self-improvement, self-esteem, self-acceptance, love, friendship, inequality and racism. Listen here: linktr.ee/surprisinget...
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 21/11/2025
If #vegan milk/meat is 'fake', something fakes are better than the real thing. Fake, computer-game murders are better than the real deal. Being hit by fake bullets tends to be better, etc
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 11/11/2025
Prevsly I couldn't possibly go on Bluesky as I hadnt finished the #Traitors. All great apart from the end, and this....
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 03/11/2025
Will AIs have rights and become conscious? My podcast has a new episode! Hear from both sides of the debate on digital consciousness, as we ask whether we should stop AI development right now to prevent vulnerable AIs coming to be. linktr.ee/surprisinget...
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 02/11/2025
Wow, semi-silent fireworks, great for dogs, cats, birds and all animals (and many humans...).
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Lotta @lotta20241113.bsky.social · 31/10/2025
Excerpt: "In the wild, pigs live in small family units. Typically, two to four sows who bear a family relation live together with their piglets. These groups, known as ‘sounders’, generally avoid one another to reduce conflict. "
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 31/10/2025
I wrote this, asking: is this big UK supermarket producing the 'happy, natural, ethically raised' pigs it now claims it is? theecologist.org/2025/oct/31/...
A screenshot of an article in the Ecologist, entitled: "Waitrose relies on animal welfare myths", with a picture of a pig who won a prize at a county show.
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 01/10/2025
New episode today: Would less liberty be better for us? My guest Sarah Conly says absolutely yes: we need the state to make harmful choices illegal. She's a formidable proponent of paternalism and we have a cracking conversation for you: linktr.ee/surprisinget...
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 24/09/2025
Jesus, now even Outlook has introduced an AI function to summarise emails. Can't we just be left to read the actual goddam email in peace -- rather than communicate through robots?
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 04/09/2025
The one thing that's not saving me time is Adobe reader incessantly popping up with the view that "this document seems long: save time with a summary". Can we just not have tech companies continually trying to get people not to actually... read, and engage properly with ideas?
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Surprising Ethics podcast @surprising-ethics.bsky.social · 01/09/2025
Launch day is finally here! New podcast all about surprising ideas on #ethics and political values. Tune in for philosophers' hottest takes! 3 launch eps to choose from here: surprisingethics.buzzsprout.com
surprisingethics.buzzsprout.com
Surprising Ethics
The most interesting ideas from ethics and political theory. Where every episode contains a surprise.Surprising Ethics is an accessible philosophy podcast exploring the striking ways in which philosop...
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Reposted by William Gildea
Surprising Ethics podcast @surprising-ethics.bsky.social · 26/08/2025
The trailer has now launched!! Check out this 1 minute into to Surprising Ethics, a new podcast about philosophers' most surprising ethical ideas: surprisingethics.buzzsprout.com
surprisingethics.buzzsprout.com
Surprising Ethics
The most interesting ideas from ethics and political theory. Where every episode contains a surprise.Surprising Ethics is an accessible philosophy podcast exploring the striking ways in which philosop...
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Reposted by William Gildea
Surprising Ethics podcast @surprising-ethics.bsky.social · 19/08/2025
Brand new podcast launching soon! Bringing you the most surprising ideas in ethics and political philosophy. With short episodes by me, Dr William Gildea, and long-form interviews with philosophers on their contributions.
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 06/08/2025
theconversation.com/ai-veganism-...
theconversation.com
‘AI veganism’: Some people’s issues with AI parallel vegans’ concerns about diet
Vegans have multiple reasons for spurning animal products: ethical, environmental and health concerns. The same issues are keeping some people from using AI.
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Ms M 💚🌱💙🦊🌳🦔🌸🐞🧶♾️ @themorganic.bsky.social · 04/08/2025
Let’s try another method. Phase out zoos. There is no ‘gentle’ death for a healthy animal that doesn’t want to die.
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 04/08/2025
Pets to be fed whole to zoo animals. For "animal welfare" reasons. The predators "need" this, apparently. What about the needs/welfare of the pets slaughtered? It's shocking zookeepers could be so inconsistent. There's no ethics without consistency. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...
theguardian.com
Danish zoo asks pet owners to donate rabbits and horses to feed its predators
Zoological institution offers to euthanise animals that need to be put down so ‘nothing goes to waste’
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William Gildea @williamgildea.bsky.social · 21/07/2025
This kind of action is just so *absurdly* piecemeal. Why should anyone be able to shoot a bear in the face for fun? Maybe the bill is better than nothing but come on.
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Department of Government, Essex @uniessexgov.bsky.social · 17/07/2025
🗳️ UK to lower voting age in national elections. Our colleague, Dr Isabella Trifan says, "This is a step forward—not because 16-year-olds pay taxes, but because they’re citizens affected by policy and as capable of voting as many adults are.” #PoliSky #YouthVote #Democracy #VotingRights #EssexGov
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