Dr Paula Boddington
Paula Boddington is Associate Professor of Philosophy and Healthcare in the Geller Institute of Aging and Memory, School of Medicine and Biosciences, University of West London. She is a philosopher who also has backgrounds in the social sciences and in law, specializing in collaborative and interdisciplinary work and focusing on ethical issues and on questions such as respect for persons. Paula has a strong track record of interdisciplinary collaboration on research projects focusing on ethics: at the Centre for Economic and Social Aspects of Genomics and the Institute of Clinical Genetics at Cardiff University; with a team of genomics scientists working in the Medical Sciences Division at Oxford University; with computer scientists in the Department of Computer Science also at Oxford University; and she has been collaborating with Katie Featherstone and her team for several years on research which aims to improve the quality and humanity of care that people living with dementia receive during an acute hospital admission. Paula’s work additionally has a strong focus on ethical and social issues concerning new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence.
Paula has made many contributions to the development of policy and public understanding on topics such as genomics research, organ transplantation, and euthanasia. Recently she has was appointed as a member of the EU Atomium European Institute AI4People 2020 Committees, to both the Committee on Healthcare and the Committee on Media and Technology. These committees analysed how can trustworthy AI be implemented in these sectors: the AI4People’s 7 AI Global Frameworks are the result of this effort (AI4 People’s 7 AI Global Framework - pdf, 4.79Mb)
Paula has published in a large variety of journals covering a wide spread of disciplines. Her recent publications have focused on the care of people living with dementia on hospital wards, as well as on ethical issues and religious questions in Artificial Intelligence. Her latest book, Towards a Code of Ethics for Artificial Intelligence (Springer, 2017) was a product of work on a project funded by the Future of Life Institute with a grant from the Open Philanthropy Project and Elon Musk. She is currently working on a textbook on AI ethics.
Paula’s expertise is recognised in the media. She has contributed to BBC Radio 4’s programme Beyond Belief, discussing Artificial Intelligence in the context of religion and has appeared on BBC’s Newsnight discussing commercially available genetic testing. Other recent media contributions include YouTube discussions with Jonathan Pageau, on Biotech Creation Myths and on How Artificial Intelligence is Reshaping Humanity.
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Qualifications
B.A. Philosophy and Psychology, Keele University, 1980
B.Phil. Philosophy, Oxford University, 1982
D.Phil. Philosophy, Oxford University, 1987
LLM. Legal Aspect of Medical Practice, Cardiff University, 2006
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Research and publications
Books
Towards a Code of Ethics for Artificial Intelligence, Paula Boddington, 2017, Springer, Heidelberg, XIX + 124 pp, ISBN 10 – 3319606476, ISBN 13- 978-3319606477
Ethical Challenges in Genomics Research, PaulaBoddington, 2012, Springer, Heidelberg, XIV + 232 pp, ISBN print 978-3-642-23698-3, e-ISBN 978-3-642-23699-0
Reading for Study and Research, Paula Boddington and John Clanchy, 1999, Longman, Australia
Journal articles and book chapters
Pierson, Jo, Stephan Cory Robinson, Paula Boddington, Patrice Chazerand, Aphra Kerr, Stefania Milan, Fons Verbeek, Cornelia Kutterer, Evdoxia Nerantzi, and Ioana Catalina Aconstantinesei. "AI4People-AI in Media and Technology Sector: Opportunities, Risks, Requirements and Recommendations." 2020.
‘Normative Modes: Codes and Standards’, Paula Boddington, in Dubber, M., Pasquale, F., & Das, S. 2020. The Oxford Handbook of Ethics of AI.
AI and moral thinking: how can we live well with machines to enhance our moral agency? AI and Ethics, 2020, 1-3, Paula Boddington
‘The Ethics of AI and The Moral Responsibility of Philosophers’. The Philosophers' Magazine, 2020, (89), 62-68. Paula Boddington
‘Presentation of the clothed self on the hospital ward: an ethnographic account of perceptual attention and implications for the personhood of people living with dementia’. Medical Humanities, 2020, Apr 28. Boddington, P., Featherstone, K., & Northcott, A.
‘Using signs and symbols to label hospital patients with a dementia diagnosis: help or hindrance to care?’, Narrative Bioethics, 2019, 10,2. Featherstone, K, Northcott A, Boddington P.
‘Focus on automating care may lead us astray,’ British Medical Journal, 2019, 364. Featherstone, K., & Boddington, P.
‘Moral Machines: what are the values that drive decision making by AI’, Paula Boddington, 2019, Aeon
‘The Canary in the Coalmine: Continence Care as a Marker of Dehumanisation’, Paula Boddington & Katie Featherstone, Bioethics, 2018, 32(4), 251-260.
Editorial, Special Edition, Ethics for Artificial Intelligence, Paula Boddington, Peter Millican, Michael Wooldridge, Minds and Machines, 2017, 27(4), 569-574, 2017, doi: 10.1007/s11023-017-9449-y
‘EPSRC Principles of Robotics: Commentary on safety, robots as products, and responsibility’, Paula Boddington, Connection Science, 2017, 29(2). 170-176, doi: 10.1080/09540091.2016.1271396
‘Big Data, Small Talk: Lessons from the Ethical Practices of Interpersonal Communication for the Management of Biomedical Big Data’, Paula Boddington in The Ethics of Biomedical Big Data. Eds Luciano Floridi, Brent Mittelstadt. Springer International Publishing, 2016. 277-305.
‘Rethinking the problems of adherence to medications’, Paula Boddington, Clinical Ethics, 2015, 10(4) 91-96
‘Ownership of biomedical information in biobanks’, Naomi Hawkins, Nadja Kanellopoulou, Jane Kaye, Karen Melham, Paula Boddington, Liam Curran, Heather Gowans, in Comparative Issues in the Governance of Biobanks, eds. G. Pascuzzi, U. Izzo, M. Macilotti, 2013, Springer, Heidelberg
‘Consent forms in genomics: the difference between law and practice’, Paula Boddington, Liam Curren, Jane Kaye, Nadja Kanellopoulou, Karen Melham, Heather Gowans, Naomi Hawkins, European Journal of Health Law, 2011, 18, 1 – 29
‘Neuroethics and the critical appraisal of our moral intuitions: a new kid on an old block’, Paula Boddington, American Journal of Bioethics Neuroscience, 2011, 2(2): 13 – 15
‘Relative responsibilities: is there an obligation to discuss genomic research participation with family members?’, Paula Boddington, Public Health Genomics, 2010, 13: 504 – 513
‘Dietary choices, health and freedom: hidden fats, hidden choices, hidden constraints’, Paula Boddington, American Journal of Bioethics, 2010, 10 (3): 44 – 45
‘Repeating history: use and abuse of research findings and misattributions of responsibility for health’, Paula Boddington, American Journal of Bioethics, 2010, 10 (2): 57- 58
‘Assessing the privacy risks of data sharing in genomics’, Catherine Heeney, Naomi Hawkins, Jantina de Vries, Paula Boddington, Jane Kaye, Public Health Genomics, 2010, 14: 17 – 25
‘Identifiability, genomics, and UK data protection law’, Liam Curren, Paula Boddington, Heather Gowans, Naomi Hawkins, Jane Kaye, European Journal of Health Law, 2010, 17, 4: 329 – 344
‘Shared responsibility agreements: Causes of contention’, Paula Boddington, pp 85 – 100 in Angus Dawson (ed) The Philosophy of Public Health, 2009, Aldershot, Ashgate, ISBN 978-0-7546-6043-9
‘Heart disease and social inequality: ethical issues in the aetiology, treatment and prevention of heart disease’, Paula Boddington, Bioethics, 2009, 23 (2): 123 - 130
‘The ethics and regulation of direct-to-consumer testing’, Paula Boddington, Genome Medicine, 2009, 1(7): e71
‘Theoretical and practical issues in the definition of health: insights from an Aboriginal Australian health definition’, Paula Boddington and Ulla Räisänen, Journal of Medicine and Philosophy, 2009, 34: 49 – 67 c 11
‘Data sharing in genomics – reshaping scientific practice’, Jane Kaye, Catherine Heeney, Naomi Hawkins, Jantina de Vries, Paula Boddington, Nature Reviews Genetics, 2009, 10 (5): 331 - 335
‘Ethical implications of the use of whole genome methods in medical research’, Jane Kaye, Paula Boddington, Jantina de Vries, Naomi Hawkins, European Journal of Human Genetics, 2009, 18: 398 – 403
‘Public access to genome-wide data: five views on balancing research with privacy and protection’, P3G Consortium, George Church, Catherine Heeney, Naomi Hawkins, Jantina de Vries, Paula Boddington, Jane Kaye, Martin Bobrow, and Bruce Weir, PLoS Genetics, 2009; 5 (10): e1000665
‘Planning for translational research in genomics’, Naomi Hawkins, Jantina De Vries, Paula Boddington, Jane Kaye, Catherine Heeney, Genome Medicine, 1 (9): e 87
‘The path forward for DNA data’, Paula Boddington, Naomi Hawkins, Catherine Heeney, Jantina de Vries, Jane Kaye, Science, 2009, 322, 1186
‘Adolescent carrier testing in practice: the impact of legal rulings and problems with “Gillick competence”’, Paula Boddington and Maggie Gregory, Journal of Genetic Counselling, 2008, 17 (6): 509 – 521
‘Communicating genetic information within the family: enriching the debate through the notion of integrity’, Paula Boddington and Maggie Gregory, 2008, Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy, 11 (4): 445 – 454
‘Preimplantation genetic diagnosis for familial hypercholesterolaemia: a commentary on the recent HFEA decision’, Paula Boddington and Michael Parker, Clinical Ethics, 2008, 3: 145 -148
‘Communicating about haemophilia within the family: the importance of context and of experience’, Maggie Gregory, Paula Boddington, Rebecca Dimond, Paul Atkinson, Angus Clarke, Peter Collins, Haemophilia, 2008, 13: 189 – 198
‘Troubles with biocitizenship?’, Alexandra Plows and Paula Boddington, Genomics, Society and Policy, 2006, 2(3): 115 – 135
‘The causation of disease – the practical and ethical consequences of competing explanations’, Ulla Räisänen, Marie-Jet Bekkers, Paula Boddington, Srikant Sarangi, Angus Clarke, Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy, 2006, 9: 293 – 306
‘Genetics’, Paula Boddington, Encyclopaedia of British Philosophy, 2006, eds Antony Grayling, Andrew Pyle, Naomi Goulder, Thoemmes Continuum
‘Working up policy: the use of specific disease exemplars in formulating general principles governing childhood genetic testing’, Paula Boddington and Susan Hogben, Health Care Analysis, 2006, 14: 1 – 13
‘The rhetorical construction of ethical positions: policy recommendations for non-therapeutic genetic testing in childhood’, Susan Hogben and Paula Boddington, Communication and Medicine, 2006, 3 (2): 135 - 146
‘Commentary on Ruth Chadwick “Telling the truth about genomics”: hype and hope’, Paula Boddington, Communication and Medicine, 2006, 3 (1) 93 - 94
‘Policy recommendations for carrier testing and predictive testing in childhood: a distinction that makes a real difference’, Susan Hogben and Paula Boddington, Journal of Genetic Counselling, 2005, 14 (4): 271 – 282
‘It’s only teeth – limits to genetic testing? A response to Aldred, Crawford, Savarirayan, and Savulescu’, Paula Boddington and Angus Clarke, Clinical Genetics, 2004, 66: 562 – 564
‘Returning to the Alder Hey Report and its reporting: addressing confusions and improving inquiries’, Steve Dewar and Paula Boddington, Journal of Medical Ethics, 2004, 30: 463 – 469
'Self-deception', Paula Boddington, Encyclopaedia of Applied Ethics, 1998, ed. Ruth Chadwick, Academic Press, Inc., San Diego, vol 4, 39 – 51
'Organ donation after death - should I decide, or should my family?', Paula Boddington, Journal of Applied Philosophy, 1998, 15 (1): 69-82
'Organ donation and ethics: could Australia accept the Spanish model of organ donation?', Paula Boddington, Monash Bioethics Review, 15 (2): 33-43
'Confidentiality in genetic counselling', Paula Boddington, in Angus Clarke, ed., Genetic Counselling: Practice and Principles, 1994, Routledge, London, 1994: 223-240
'Issues in presumed consent', Paula Boddington, Proceedings of the conference Transplantation: Asking the Hard Questions, ed. Lynn Gillam, Monash University Centre for Human Bioethics: 22-29
'Reply to Anstotz: what we can learn from people with learning difficulties', PaulaBoddington and Tessa Podpadec, Bioethics, 1992, 6 (4): 361-364
'Measuring the quality of life in theory and practice', Paula Boddington and Tessa Podpadec, Bioethics, 1992, 6 (3): 210 -217
Reprinted in Helga Kuhse and Peter Singer, eds, Bioethics: An Anthology, Blackwell, Oxford: Malden, Mass, 1999, chapter 30
'Who are the mentally handicapped?', Paula Boddington and Tessa Podpadec, The Journal of Applied Philosophy, 1991, 8 (2): 177-190
'The issue of women's philosophy', Paula Boddington, in Morwenna Griffiths and Margaret Whitford, eds., Feminist Perspectives in Philosophy, Macmillan, London: 205-22.
