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
MAY 10, 2022 • Podcast
Making Decisions When Values Conflict or Are Prioritized Differently, with Paul Root Wolpe
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 ...
Related Initiatives
Carnegie Ethics Accelerator
The Carnegie Ethics Accelerator is a new kind of incubator designed to empower ethics in the face of swiftly evolving challenges in technology and public policies.
Ethics & International Affairs Journal
Ethics & International Affairs is the quarterly journal of Carnegie Council. It aims to close the gap between the theory and practice of ethics.
Carnegie Ethics Fellows
The Carnegie Ethics Fellows program (CEF) seeks to cultivate the next generation of ethical global leaders across business, policy, technology, NGOs, and academia.
Explore Our Applied Ethics Resources
JAN 30, 2018 • Podcast
"Modern Slavery" with Siddharth Kara
In his third book on slavery, which took 16 years of research, Siddharth Kara calculates that there are roughly 31 million slaves worldwide, at least half of ...
JAN 30, 2018 • Article
A Liberal Democracy Doesn't Fall from the Sky
"The West appears to face its end," writes Alexander Görlach. "After 70 years of hegemony, fundamental opposition carries the day in countless places. This opposition ...
JAN 16, 2018 • Article
A Tangled Embrace: What the JFK Papers Tell Us about the CIA's Anti-Castro Cuban Agents
In 1976, Cubana Flight 455 was brought down by a terrorist bomb. All 72 people aboard perished. Anti-Castro terrorist and longtime CIA asset Luis Posada is widely considered ...
JAN 16, 2018 • Podcast
Tackling Inequality in the United States, with "Born on Third Base" Chuck Collins
Chuck Collins grew up in a wealthy family and gave away his fortune at the age of 26, yet he realizes that he still has advantages ...
DEC 19, 2017 • Article
Fantastic Voyage
As Ignatieff puts the question in his book, "Is globalization drawing us together morally? Beneath all our differences, what virtues, principles, and rules of conduct ...
DEC 15, 2017 • Podcast
Humanitarian Ethics and the Red Cross, with Hugo Slim
"I would say that the principle of humanity, and humanity in war even, is a global ethic. We can trace it through human history," says ...
DEC 4, 2017 • Podcast
Rescue: Refugees and the Political Crisis of Our Time, with David Miliband
Today there are 65 million people who have fled their homes because of conflict or persecution, says the International Rescue Committee's David Miliband. These are refugees ...
NOV 29, 2017 • Podcast
Bioethics and Community Engagement with Jess Holzer
Hofstra University's Jess Holzer is focused on improving public health at the community level. But she teaches that good intentions alone are not enough to ...
NOV 28, 2017 • Article
Don't Be Fooled by Cosmetic Changes: The West-Saudi Alliance Is More Morally Dubious Than Ever
"Aside from inertia and vague promises of support in fighting terrorist groups, there is little to justify the continuation of the close relationship between self-professed ...
NOV 14, 2017 • Podcast
Elizabeth Economy on China, Climate Change, and the Environment
How does climate change play into Xi Jinping's larger strategy for China's economy and its role on the global stage? Xi has a vision for ...