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
NOV 5, 2015 • Article
Jiyoung Song on Asia and the West: "Whose Century?"
Is this the end of the American Century, the beginning of an Asian Century, or none of the above? Is there a model for the ...
NOV 4, 2015 • Podcast
Riverkeeper, Defending New York's Hudson River
Riverkeeper fights to protect the Hudson and the drinking water for nine million New Yorkers. Paul Gallay relates three of its success stories, offering lessons ...
NOV 2, 2015 • Article
Policy Innovations Digital Magazine (2006-2016): Commentary: Building Cities from Scratch: Is There a Formula for a Sustainable City?
In the contemporary urban development industry ideas travel in the context of a commercial transaction in which practitioners are hired to provide a service.
OCT 29, 2015 • Podcast
Population Ethics in the Time of Global Warming
One of the most important insights to emerge slowly over the past hundred years is that the actions of the current generation could have profound ...
OCT 28, 2015 • Podcast
How to Live in the Anthropocene
In 1997 a distinguished group of scientists published an influential article in which they concluded that "it is clear that we live on a human-dominated planet." ...
OCT 23, 2015 • Podcast
Secular Ethics: Old/New Shakyamuni, Dalai Lama
In this lively, learned, and funny talk, leading U.S. expert on Tibetan Buddhism Robert Thurman riffs off the Dalai Lama's secular ethics project, laying ...
OCT 20, 2015 • Podcast
Global Ethics Day: Feeding the Planet
There are roughly 2 billion people who are under-nourished and another 2 billion who are overweight or obese. In other words, about half the world's population is ...
OCT 15, 2015 • Article
Policy Innovations Digital Magazine (2006-2016): Commentary: Fighting Obesity Requires a Choice: Profit or Public Health?
Unless governments take steps to promote healthy diets and discourage consumption of ultra-processed products, chances to stop and reverse the obesity epidemic remain quite slim.
OCT 14, 2015 • Article
Policy Innovations Digital Magazine (2006-2016): Commentary: Big Soda Politics: A Call to Advocacy
It is becoming evident that Big Soda copies the playbook used by Big Tobacco to distract people from the harm caused by cigarette smoking. Although ...
OCT 13, 2015 • Article
Policy Innovations Digital Magazine (2006-2016): Commentary: How Much More Processed Food Can We Eat?
Food policies for the 21st century will be about the purpose of markets and the need to hold marketers to account for their activities.