Applied Ethics

Framing ethical perspectives

Applied ethics refers to the practical applications of the moral principles that govern behavior. Carnegie Council focuses on this field, mostly through the realm of international affairs, by identifying and addressing the most critical ethical issues of today and tomorrow. Our initiatives, content, and experts analyze the way that governments, institutions, and individuals interact and make choices on global issues, such as climate change, emerging technology, and governance.

Featured Applied Ethics Resources

Practical conversations, decision analysis, and more

JUL 5, 2023 Article

A Framework for the International Governance of AI

Carnegie Council, in collaboration with IEEE, proposes a five-part AI governance framework to enable the constructive use of AI.

APR 12, 2022 Podcast

Surveillance Tech's Infinite Loop of Harms, with Chris Gilliard

In this discussion with Senior Fellow Arthur Holland Michel, Chris Gilliard explains why the arc of surveillance technology and novel AI bends toward failures that ...

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CREDIT: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Un-eritrea.png">United Nations</a>  (Public Domain)

MAR 12, 2018 Article

Maintaining Power by Breaking up Society: Eritrea Under Isaias Afwerki

Isaias Afwerki has been president of Eritrea since 1993. How has he stayed in power so long, although he is highly unpopular across Eritrea, even in ...

Amy Chua. CREDIT: Amanda Ghanooni

MAR 7, 2018 Podcast

Political Tribes: Group Instinct and the Fate of Nations, with Amy Chua

"The United States today is starting to display destructive political dynamics much more typically associated with developing countries: ethno-nationalist movements, the erosion of trust in ...

Detail from book cover

MAR 5, 2018 Podcast

Necessary Evil: How to Fix Finance by Saving Human Rights, with David Kinley

Rich and poor, we're all dependent on the global financial system and it can be a force for good, says human rights law professor David ...

FEB 26, 2018 Podcast

Gandhi's Satyagraha & Social Change, with Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox

Satyagraha, one of Gandhi's most influential teachings, stresses "passive resistance" in the face of injustice. Qunnipiac's Gadkar-Wilcox saw a powerful example of this in regards ...

Sophia the robot, speaking at the AI for GOOD Global Summit, 2017. CREDIT: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/itupictures/34328656564/">ITU Pictures</a> (<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">CC</a>)

FEB 26, 2018 Article

Artificial Intelligence's Ethical Challenges

"Like the situation with nuclear power, the world will likely only confront the ethical implications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) technology after ...

CREDIT: <a hfer="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratospheric_Particle_Injection_for_Climate_Engineering#/media/File:SPICE_SRM_overview.jpg">Hughhunt</a>. SPICE research project on solar radiation management (SRM). (<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/">CC</a>)

FEB 26, 2018 Article

Errors of Omission, Commission, and Emission: Moral Culpability in Climate Change and Considerations of Solar Radiation Management

"As it becomes clearer that we can't stop the repercussions of climate change through mitigation alone, an ugly question rears its head, presenting perhaps the ...

Women's March, Baltimore. CREDIT: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_2018_Women%27s_March_locations#/media/File:WomensMarch.BaltimoreMD.20January2018_IMG_2443_(28027651679).jpg">Elvert Barnes</a> (<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en">CC</a>)

FEB 26, 2018 Article

Sexual Exploitation: The Dynamics of Gender and Power

The Harvey Weinstein scandal ignited a crusade against sexual assault, which has expanded internationally. "This pivotal movement has made one thing absolutely clear: sexual harassment ...

CREDIT: Via ,a href="https://pixabay.com/en/dna-string-biology-3d-1811955/">Pixabay</a> free images

FEB 26, 2018 Article

International Regulation of Genetic Engineering: Ethical Considerations in the 21st Century

"Though it may be tempting to advance this new technology as far as we can, we must realize that genetic engineering may come at significant ...

Education is all. CREDIT: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/14207665792/">Alan Levine</a>.  (<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">CC</a>)

FEB 26, 2018 Article

Education: A Last Chance

" We continue to fail to recognize that education is not a privilege. It is a right. And it is an unforgettable ethical failure on our ...

Detail from book cover

FEB 21, 2018 Podcast

Virtual Reality for Social Good, with Jeremy Bailenson

In this fascinating conversation, Jeremy Bailenson, director of Stanford University's Virtual Human Interaction Lab, describes how virtual reality (VR) can be used as a force ...