Ethics in Society

The Program in Ethics in Society, operating under the umbrella of the Bowen H. McCoy Family Center for Ethics in Society, is designed to foster scholarship, teaching, and moral reflection on fundamental issues in personal and public life. Grounded in moral and political philosophy, the program extends its concerns across a broad range of traditional disciplinary domains.

The program is guided by the conviction that ethical thought has direct application to current social questions and conflicts. By bringing ethical reflection to bear on pressing public problems, we encourage moral reflection and practice across diverse fields, including business, technology, international relations, law, medicine, politics, science, and public service.

Academic Programs and Ethical Reasoning

The Program in Ethics in Society offers interdisciplinary pathways designed to integrate moral reflection with diverse academic majors:

• Undergraduate Minor: Offering students in every major the opportunity to minor in Ethics in Society, allowing them to complement their primary fields of study with rigorous training in ethical theory and application.

• Honors Program: Supporting an undergraduate honors thesis option that enables students to conduct deep, independent research on a significant moral or political issue.

• Ethical Reasoning Breadth Requirement: Guiding curriculum development around the undergraduate Ethical Reasoning requirement to ensure all Stanford students engage with foundational moral questions.

Research Frontiers, Public Initiatives, and Community Engagement

Through research, teaching, and active community outreach, the Center serves as a vital bridge between academic scholarship and public life:

• Public Lectures and Events: Hosting distinguished public events, including the Tanner, Wesson, and Arrow lectures, alongside multi-year themed lecture series that bring moral questions to the forefront of campus dialogue.

• Postdoctoral Fellowship Program: Promoting advanced research and teaching in ethics in society by supporting early-career scholars within our intellectual community.

• Hope House Scholars Program: Connecting Stanford faculty, postdocs, and graduate students to the local community by teaching humanities courses to residents at Hope House, a residential drug and alcohol treatment facility for women.

• Collaborative Conferences and Seminars: Partnering with departments across campus to host specialized conferences, seminars, and workshops on the intersection of technology and ethics, as well as on the practice of civil dialogue.