PEAK Staff

Dr David Hunter Lecturer, Centre for Professional Ethics Programme Director: PgCert/ PgDip/ MA Research Ethics Room : Chancellor's Building, CBC2.014 Email : d.hunter@peak.keele.ac.uk Tel : +44 (0) 1782 734513

I began studying philosophy at the University of Auckland in 1995, completing a BA (Philosophy & Politics), a BA (Hons) in philosophy, a Diploma of professional ethics, a Masters by thesis (entitled: God the Utilitarian? The Ethics of Theodicy) and finally completed my PhD in philosophy in 2008 (entitled: A Luck Egalitarian Account of Distributive Justice in Health Care).

Teaching:

From 2000-2004 I tutored in the Philosophy department at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, teaching on a wide range of subjects, from metaphysics, to Chinese philosophy to applied ethics. In 2004 I moved to lecture in the School of History, Philosophy and Politics, Massey University, New Zealand. At Massey I taught political theory, applied ethics & ethical theory. In 2005 I moved to the School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland where I primarily taught professional, research and medical ethics to a wide range of students in courses ranging from biomedical sciences to dietetics to optometry. In 2008 I moved here to the Centre for Professional Ethics at Keele.

Research:

I am interested in issues at the intersection of several areas of philosophy and applied ethics so it is difficult to summarize my research interests succinctly. However I am particularly interested in medical ethics with a focus on where ideas from political philosophy can be bought to bear on problems within medical ethics. I also have a strong interest in ethical decision making in situations of fundamental uncertainty. As such my research areas are broad, but common themes run throughout:

1. Political Philosophy

I am broadly interested in issues in political philosophy, particularly where these intersect with issues in medical ethics. My PhD concentrated on one of these areas, distributive justice in health care looking at what a comprehensive luck egalitarian account might tell us about the distribution of health care resources. I'm also interested in issues in public health ethics such as when or if a State has the right to interfere with an individual's free choices.

2. Research Ethics

An area which I have become keenly interested in is research ethics. I developed this interest through my participation on several ethics committees. I am interested in both structural and conceptual issues in the operation of research ethics committees, as well as issues at the coalface of specific ethical issues that arise when reviewing applications. A particular focus is on how research ethics committees can make good decisions about contentious ethical issues.

3. Ethical Issues with New Technologies

Another area I am interested in is the ethical and political implications of new technologies. My interests in this area are quite diverse, but include the ethical issues raised by the introduction of new technologies and issues in political philosophy related to the regulation of new technologies.

Selected Publications:

Books:
Wilkinson, S. Hughes, J. Sheehan, M. Wrigley, A. Hunter, D. European Textbook on Ethics in Research (Commissioned by the EU) Forthcoming.

Journal Articles:
Hunter, D. 'An alternative model for research ethics review at UK universities' Research Ethics Review. (2006) Vol 2, No 2, 47-51.

Hunter, D. 'Placebos, and moral perils for participants' Research Ethics Review. (2006) Vol 2, No 2, 71-72.

Hunter, D. ‘The roles of research ethics committees: implications for membership.’ Research Ethics Review. (2007) Vol 3, No 1, 24-26.

Hunter, D. 'Proportional Ethical Review and the Identification of Ethical Issues' Journal of Medical Ethics. (2007);33:241-245.

Hunter, D. 'Am I my Brother's Gatekeeper? Professional Ethics & the Prioritisation of Health Care' Journal of Medical Ethics. (2007);33:522-526.

Hunter, D. Pierscionek, B. 'Children, Gillick Competency and Consent for Research' Journal of Medical Ethics. (2007);33:659-662.

Hunter, D. 'Efficiency and the Proposed Reforms to the NHS Research Ethics System' Journal of Medical Ethics. (2007);33:651-654.

Elliott, L. Hunter, D. ‘The experiences of Ethics Committee Members: Contradictions between Individuals and Committees’ Journal of Medical Ethics. (2008);34:489-494.

Hunter, D. Oultram, S. 'The Challenge of Sperm Ships: The need for global regulation of medical technology' Journal of Medical Ethics. (2008);34:552-556.

Hunter, D. ‘Tower of Babel rebuilt: The ESRC research ethics framework and research ethics review at UK universities.’ Journal of Medical Ethics. (2008);34:815-820.

Hunter, D. ‘Teaching Skills and Bioethics, the use of the Community of Inquiry' Monash Bioethics Review. (2008);27:1:33-41.

Book Chapters:
Hunter, D. 'Forward Thinking: A Teaching Project' Pp 309-316. in Clements, Belinda (Ed) Probing the Boundaries: Environmental Justice and Global Citizenship, The Inter-Disciplinary Press. ISBN: 978-1-904710-38-7

Hunter, D. ‘Bad Science equals poor not bad ethics’ p.61-70 in Jennifer Gunning & Søren Holm, (eds.) Ethics, Law & Society (volume 3), Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing Company (December 2007)

Hunter, D 'Tis But a Scratch The Human Tissue Act and the use of tissue for research issues for research ethics committees' in Ethical & Legal Aspects of Research with Human Tissue in Europe, Oxford University Press, Forthcoming

Dawson, A. Hunter, D. 'Is there a need for global health ethics? Pros and cons' Global Health Ethics edited by Gillian Brock & Soloman Benatar, Cambridge University Press, Forthcoming.