Ethical Leadership Development: Highlights from the Past and a Glimpse of the Future

Authors: Elias Ursitti, Eric J. Weis, Donald P. Loren (October 18, 2024 – National Defense University) This article explores ethical leadership’s importance in shaping military and organizational culture, emphasizing the need for senior leaders to foster accountability and ethically healthy environments. Effective leadership can encourage a virtuous cycle of ethical conduct, while poor leadership may […]

David Petraeus and Andrew Roberts on Conflict, War, and Debate

Author: David Petraeus and Andrew Roberts (January 12, 2024 – OpenToDebate.org) This debate podcast delves into the parallels between debate and conflict, highlighting how discussion can serve as a preventive measure for conflict escalation. Historian Andrew Roberts and retired General David Petraeus examine the importance of strategic leadership and proportionality in military operations, drawing from […]

A Neo-Republican Theory of Just State Surveillance

Author: Patrick Taylor Smith (June 19, 2020 – Ingenta Connect) This paper presents a neo-republican perspective on just state surveillance, emphasizing the prevention of domination. It makes three key points: (1) modern state surveillance, in collaboration with the tech sector, poses a significant risk of domination; (2) state surveillance can still achieve legitimate republican goals, […]

The Ethics of AI Ethics: An Evaluation of Guidelines

Author: Thilo Hagendorff (February 1, 2020 – Springer Link) The paper analyzes 22 AI ethics guidelines, identifying common principles and recommendations while noting gaps. These guidelines aim to harness the disruptive potential of AI technologies ethically. The paper provides a detailed overview of the AI ethics landscape and assesses the implementation of these ethical principles […]

Political Revolution As Moral Risk

Author: Patrick Taylor Smith (April 18, 2024 – JSTOR) This paper explores the ethical concept of “dirty hands,” focusing on revolutionaries who violate moral principles through unilateral usurpation, hoping future benefits will justify their actions. It argues that once a revolution successfully improves the common good, the initial wrongdoing becomes less relevant in judging the […]

Virtue Ethics and Person-Place Relationships

Author: Carolyn Mason (May 9, 2024 – Taylor and Francis Online) This paper highlights the significance of people’s relationships with places for their well-being, a concept largely overlooked by Western moral theorists. It argues for a neo-Aristotelian virtue related to forming such relationships, which can shape perceptions, emotions, desires, and actions. When properly developed, this […]

Scientists Tend to Inflate How Ethical They Are in Doing Their Research

Author: Christian B. Miller (March 31, 2024 – Forbes) A study of 11,050 Swedish researchers found that scientists often overrate their ethical practices compared to peers. The survey, conducted by Lindkvist, Koppel, and Tinghög, revealed that 44% rated themselves as more ethical, 55% as equal, and less than 1% as less ethical. This overconfidence contradicts […]

Do Moral Dilemmas Help Students Strengthen Their Ethical Muscles?

Author: Dr. Arthur Schwartz  (July 8, 2024 – Character.org) The Good Project at Harvard has developed a dilemma-based case study curriculum for middle and high school students, showing significant character growth. The author questions why such ethical education isn’t universally implemented, emphasizing the importance of teaching ethical decision-making. Ethical dilemmas help students recognize universal principles, […]

Brave New Words – Bill Gates & Sal Khan

Bill Gates and Sal Khan discussed the transformative potential of AI in education and work. Gates highlighted AI’s ability to enhance productivity across various fields, predicting significant changes within the next decade. He emphasized the need for government policies to manage AI’s benefits and risks. Khan focused on AI’s role in personalized learning and support […]

Artificial Dummies

Author: William Davidow (March 19, 2024 – Linkedin) Artificial intelligence (AI) enhances mental abilities but can also cause skill atrophy if over-relied upon. Just as physical inactivity weakens the body, not exercising the mind diminishes mental skills. AI should be used to gather information, not replace human reasoning. Overuse of AI, such as relying on […]