Jasmine Gunkel

Jasmine Gunkel is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Western Ontario, affiliated with the Faculty of Arts and Humanities. Her work bridges normative and applied ethics, with a focus on bioethics, AI ethics, animal ethics, feminist philosophy, and social/political philosophy. A central theme in her research is the philosophical analysis of intimacy and its moral implications.

Her research explores the ethical dimensions of intimacy, particularly how it creates unique forms of psychological vulnerability that ground stringent rights and duties. She has developed the Intimate Zones Account, which redefines intimacy not solely through relationships but through features of personhood that involve concealment and self-perception. This framework informs policy in diverse areas including medicine, AI, sex work, and reproductive rights.

The recent publications highlight a strong trend in medical and technological ethics, especially concerning consent, autonomy, and AI integration in healthcare. Her articles frequently appear in leading interdisciplinary journals such as the Journal of Philosophy, American Journal of Bioethics, and npj Digital Health, reflecting a commitment to impactful, real-world ethical discourse.

She previously held a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the Department of Bioethics, and earned her PhD from the University of Southern California under Mark Schroeder. Her educational background underscores her rigorous training in contemporary moral philosophy.

Jasmine Gunkel actively contributes to public philosophy through platforms like the Blog of the American Philosophical Association. While no formal awards or advising roles are mentioned in the text, her collaborative work indicates engagement with interdisciplinary teams in bioethics and AI. She is involved in critical discussions on pseudointimate AI, clinical AI systems, and ethical alternatives to organ transplantation, positioning her at the forefront of emerging ethical challenges in science and technology.