As ethical debates come to the forefront of cultural conflicts, a podcast is presenting a fresh perspective on progressive ideas with an unexpected twist.
Should 10-year-olds be allowed to vote? Is halting AI development necessary? Do human rights extend to animals? Does the manosphere harm both women and the men it attracts?
Surprising Ethics gives voice to academic philosophers whose innovative ideas on these topics could transform society. The podcast begins by examining the current state of affairs and then explores radical alternatives.
Find Surprising Ethics on all major podcasting platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Hooked
Dr. William Gildea, a philosophy researcher at McGill University and contributor to The Ecologist, hosts the podcast. He stated, “Not everyone will agree with every surprising view, but the point is to use philosophy’s toolkit to get underneath the issues and build bridges.
“I hope the podcast showcases intriguing arguments that philosophers are making about life, its meaning, and the future of societies.”
The podcast guarantees surprises in every episode. It frequently scrutinizes popular right-wing views, such as Andrew Tate’s ideas, which will be logically analyzed in an episode scheduled for Wednesday, 1 April 2026.
Progressives are also encouraged to question whether their values lead to unexpected outcomes. For instance, two guests suggest that parents who value their children’s autonomy should avoid feeding them animal products.
The argument suggests that limiting childhood dietary choices can expand freedom in adulthood, as children not accustomed to meat may better evaluate their future dietary, health, and interpersonal choices.
Salacious
In the same episode, Jeremy Fischer and Rachel Fredericks claim that supporting human superiority might foster prejudice against human out-groups.
While the belief in human uniqueness might seem essential for defending minority rights, Fischer argues, “when you teach people to divide human beings from other animals, you’re giving them a set of tools that they can use to attack other human beings as well.”
This suggests that social movements have long relied on a flawed assumption. Speciesism becomes a tool against minorities, who are demeaned as “like animals.”
The podcast also investigates defenses of envy, hedonism, and sexual non-exclusivity, concepts not typically viewed as moral by many.
Jealousy
The discussion on wellbeing includes insights from John Stuart Mill, a Victorian hedonist who promoted the idea that pleasure is the sole purpose of life, a provocative stance in 19th-century England.
The podcast also defends non-monogamy. Imagine a friend saying, “you know our friendship means so much to me, I want you not to have any other friends, otherwise I’m not sure we can carry on.”
Such a request would be shocking, yet we often expect this exclusivity from romantic partners. Is jealousy, the typical reason, valid upon closer examination?
Surprising Ethics is backed by the Centre for Research in Ethics, a Montreal-based academic center. It is now accessible on all major podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
This Author
Brendan Montague is an editor at The Ecologist.
