Featured

Photograph of a gavel next to two large books

Judd v Weinstein: Reexamining Ex Post Facto

Kiara Goodwine -
Ex post facto laws allow us to avoid retroactive legislation. But in the era after #MeToo, maybe there are some crimes that should be punished after the fact.
Photograph of a lecturer speaking to a hall of students

Should You Rate Your Professor? The Ethics of Student Evaluations

Kenneth Boyd -
Just how reliable are student evaluations of teachers at the end of the semester? Often, they reveal biases.
Sign that reads "if dogs tasted like pork, would you eat them? What's the difference?" bearing a PETA logo

What PETA Gets Right about Animal Metaphors (and What it Gets...

A.G. Holdier -
PETA's list of updated metaphors has sparked memes and ridicule. What did PETA do right - or wrong?

Opinion

Photo of a lowlit room with candles and a mirror and a bed

Self-Care in the Late Capitalist Era

Amy Elyse Gordon -
Self-care is crucial, but is it overly commodified?
Photograph of President Trump looking at a book with other people gathered

Why You are Wrong to Donate to the #BorderWall GoFundMe Campaign

A.G. Holdier -
Opinion: The GoFundMe campaign supporting the building of the proposed border wall has some fundamental philosophical problems.
Photograph of the cast of the TV show The Office all sitting for a press conference on set

Is All Comedy Ethical? The Office’s Irresponsible Use of Satire

Sandra Laserna Cowal -
Satire deliberately exaggerates societal issues to make a point -- and to make us change. But what if it doesn't work?

Culture

Photograph of Slave Bible showing the edited Exodus passage

The Slave Bible: Editing the Word of God

Brock Hall -
In D.C.'s Museum of the Bible, there's an artifact that might change the way you think about slavery and Christianity. It's called the Slave Bible.
Photograph of an open notebook with a pen on it; written on the notebook is "New Years Resolutions"

New Year’s Resolutions and The Problem of Self-Promising

A.G. Holdier -
Is breaking your New Year's resolution the same as breaking a promise? Philosophers might give us an answer.
Black and white photograph of a couple in an art gallery, standing in front of a picture, the woman is laughing

Dating and Choice in the Digital Age

Amy Elyse Gordon -
Online dating offers people a wider choice in partners, but also might serve to intensify bias.

Recent

Photo of the Sydney Harbor overlooking the Opera House and an Australian flag flying in the sky from a plane

Celebrating Invasion Day: Australia’s History War

Desmonda Lawrence -
Australia Day isn't a cause for celebration for much of Australia's population: for First Nations members, it's a reminder of a dark colonial history.
A row of black supercomputer processors

Computer Simulations and the Ethics of Predicting Human Behavior

Kenneth Boyd -
Computer simulations can be helpful in predicting human behavior, but what about when those predictions are immoral?
Photo of the UN flag flying against a blue sky with white clouds

The US, the UN, and Human Rights Investigations

Meredith McFadden -
The US's recent decision to halt cooperating with UN human rights investigations sets a dangerous precedent - and endangers lives.
Two beagle puppies on leashes sitting in a field of green grass

Considering Custody Arrangements for Companion Animals

Rachel Robison-Greene -
How should we determine custody of companion animals in cases of divorce? Similar to child custody? California and Alaska say yes.
Photograph of a gavel next to two large books

Judd v Weinstein: Reexamining Ex Post Facto

Kiara Goodwine -
Ex post facto laws allow us to avoid retroactive legislation. But in the era after #MeToo, maybe there are some crimes that should be punished after the fact.
Photograph of the Moon tarot card propped against a crystal with several other tarot cards arranged in the background

The Resurgence of Tarot

Amy Elyse Gordon -
What does the newfound popularity of tarot tell us about society?

© The Prindle Institute for Ethics 2017