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
MAR 13, 2026 • Video
Character and Leadership: A Conversation with Lt. General (ret.) Mark Hertling
FEB 20, 2026 • Podcast
Keeping it Real(ism), with Assoc. Professor Paul Poast
With realism having a political moment, Paul Poast discusses the intellectual roots of the theory and how it's being applied in U.S. foreign policy.
DEC 11, 2025 • Video
Re-examining our Capacity for Just Peace
Watch this discussion featuring distinguished experts reflecting on the state of war in 2025 and the obstacles to achieving just peace.
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
JAN 12, 2017 • Podcast
Thank You for Being Late: An Optimist's Guide to Thriving in the Age of Accelerations
From massive leaps in technology to ever-increasing globalization to the acceleration of climate change, workplace, politics, geopolitics, and ethics are all going through tectonic shifts. ...
JAN 5, 2017 • Article
Ethics, Undocumented Immigrants, and the Issue of Integration: Making a Better Life for Everyone in New York City
"Given that many undocumented immigrants live invisibly for a long time, the NYC Municipal ID card truly acknowledges their existence. It was, and still is, ...
DEC 21, 2016 • Article
The Ethics of Climate Change Activism: Fear vs. Reality
"The time has come to act on climate because we can no longer afford not to. We know what consequences are in store for us ...
DEC 21, 2016 • Podcast
Women's Rights are Human Rights: Global Challenges to Reproductive Health
How will the Trump presidency affect women's rights, not only in the U.S. but around the world? Will the Sustainable Development Goals really succeed ...
DEC 16, 2016 • Podcast
Against Empathy: The Case for Rational Compassion
We often think that empathy, our capacity "to feel someone's pain," is the ultimate source of goodness. Nothing could be farther from the truth, argues ...
DEC 15, 2016 • Podcast
A Conversation on Effective Altruism with Jennifer Rubenstein
The term effective altruism means that individuals should be sure to maximize the good they do, by donating to the most cost-effective charities, for example, ...
DEC 12, 2016 • Podcast
The Ethics and Governance of Geoengineering
The definition of geoengineering is "large-scale human intervention with the Earth in order to change the climate," says Janos Pasztor, and to manage the world's ...
DEC 6, 2016 • Podcast
Jamal Sowell on Leadership, Veterans, & Escaping the "Bubble"
"I want to do everything I can to make a difference on the Earth while I'm still here," says Jamal Sowell. Currently a fellow at ...
DEC 5, 2016 • Podcast
Artificial Intelligence: What Everyone Needs to Know
We're asking the wrong questions about artificial intelligence, says AI expert Jerry Kaplan. Machines are not going to take over the world. They don't have ...
NOV 30, 2016 • Article
Solidarity in Dark Times: Why the World Must Fight for Collective Human Rights Now
"It is time for the world to move away from liberal and neoliberal-centric understandings of human rights that underline the importance of the individual, and ...