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="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8387/8510182328_61c6283152_b.jpg">Donna Burton</a>, (<a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en">CC</a>)

SEP 30, 2013 Podcast

Arash Abizadeh on Immigration

As the U.S. moves toward a major overhaul of its immigration system, many of those most significantly affected are being left out of the ...

SEP 27, 2013 Article

Ethical Challenges in Trans-Pacific Relations: Selected Essays, 2013 Contest

Carnegie Council presents the 12 best essays from our 2013 Trans-Pacific Contest, a pioneering exercise in student collaboration. These outstanding pieces touch on issues ranging from the ...

SEP 26, 2013 Podcast

Immigration Reform: Truths, Myths, and Politics

The great wave of illegal immigration to the United States is over, says Edward Schumacher-Matos. Our real challenge now is what to do with those 11–12 ...

CREDIT: <a href ="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-151731818/stock-vector-distressed-syria-chemical-weapon-graphic.html?src=WElREIA3ZW_TvZ7WoiPnmw-1-0">Syria chemical weapon graphic</a> via Shutterstock

SEP 25, 2013 Article

Syria and the Just Use of Force Short of War

The Obama administration has spoken of punishing the Assad regime, of deterring future attacks, of reinforcing the norm against chemical weapons use, and of diminishing ...

Journalist Seymour Hersh at the Torture & Foreign Policy Seminar

SEP 17, 2013 Article

Update from the Carnegie Global Oregon Learning Community

The Carnegie Global Oregon Freshman Interest Group and learning community (CGO) is a pioneering effort that partners the University of Oregon with Carnegie Council to ...

Citadel of Aleppo, 2007. Damaged by shelling, 2012. CREDIT: <a href="http://tinyurl.com/kkuwfw3">Watchsmart</a>,  (<a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en">CC</a>)

SEP 17, 2013 Article

The Fate of Cultural Property in Wartime: Why it Matters and What Should Be Done

Cultural property protection in conflict is often neglected as people argue that the lives of individuals in warzones are far more important than old buildings, ...

Fire in the Blood

SEP 7, 2013 Article

Ethics on Film: Discussion of "Fire in the Blood"

With the tagline "Medicine, Monopoly, Malice," this powerful documentary tells how Western drug companies fought to keep discounted AIDS medications from reaching HIV-positive citizens of ...

CREDIT: Minnesota Historical Society, <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Martin_Luther_King_Jr_St_Paul_Campus_U_MN.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a>

SEP 6, 2013 Article

Living With Injustice: Lessons from 1963

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the writing of three seminal texts in 20th century philosophy. An examination of these texts--by King, Arendt, and ...

CREDIT: US Navy Naval History and Heritage Command, <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BattleOfVirginiaCapes.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a>

SEP 6, 2013 Article

Finding Our National Moral Compass on Syria

The U.S. received aid from other nations during its own Revolutionary War, and so despite all, "as America debates the pros and cons of ...

CREDIT: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikebaird/2127311117/">Mike Baird</a> (<a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en">CC</a>).

SEP 6, 2013 Article

Policy Innovations Digital Magazine (2006-2016): Innovations: The Right Social Policies Can Promote Intergenerational Ethics

A new study by Bertelsmann Foundation analyzes fairness between the young and the old, and provides policy solutions for governments in aging societies.