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
AUG 18, 2009 • Podcast
Interview with Seth Merrin of Liquidnet Holdings
Seth Merrin is the CEO and founder of Liquidnet, a successful investment firm which gives 1 percent of its pretax income to philanthropic initiatives. Here Merrin ...
AUG 14, 2009 • Podcast
Dealing with Dictators: North Korea
Should you ever deal with dictators? Two American journalists held hostage in North Korea were released as a result of Bill Clinton's recent meeting with ...
AUG 11, 2009 • Podcast
Interview with Michele Wucker
"People should be able to pursue whatever helps them to fulfill their greatest potential, and that's what migration is about," says World Policy Institute's Michele ...
AUG 7, 2009 • Podcast
The Garden, Veggies, and Ethics
If you don't know the roots under a farmers' market or a colleague's produce, should you trust the food you get from them? How does ...
AUG 6, 2009 • Podcast
Interview with Joseph Cahalan
"The more Xerox found out about the value of inclusion--" says Joseph Cahalan of Xerox, "that good talent comes in all colors, genders, religions, and ...
AUG 4, 2009 • Article
The Balance between Risk and Return Is Everybody's Business
The 2008 taxpayer bailout and a long string of corporate restructurings and downsizings have shifted risk from corporations to individuals, writes Ann Rutledge. Most Americans were ...
JUL 30, 2009 • Article
Policy Innovations Digital Magazine (2006-2016): Innovations: Good Ideas Are From Anywhere
The recent confirmation hearings of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor touched upon a central issue of the international legal and moral order: natural law and ...
JUL 28, 2009 • Transcript
Patriotism and Cosmopolitanism
As Americans in a globalized world, how can we define our moral responsibilities to humanity? Carnegie Council President Joel Rosenthal recommends a "cosmopolitan patriotism," rooted ...
JUL 28, 2009 • Podcast
Patriotism and Cosmopolitanism
As Americans in a globalized world, how can we define our moral responsibilities to humanity? Carnegie Council President Joel Rosenthal recommends a "cosmopolitan patriotism," rooted ...
JUL 24, 2009 • Podcast
The Missing Ingredient: Applied Ethics
Policies are often debated along three dimensions: effectiveness, efficiency, and expediency. In place of a fourth dimension—applied ethics—we usually find sensationalism and polarization. ...