Ethics

A controversial new philosophy paper tries to bring our moral prejudices to heel. Should it?

Lockdowns moved the burden of COVID from the at-risk elderly to the less-at-risk young. Does this sacrifice merit compensation?

Hundreds of millions of animals get killed for meat every day.

A new generation of leaders is forging a path for 21st-century capitalism that’s both profitable and socially responsible.

Pugs are funny and cute, but that is because we have bred them intentionally to have debilitating genetic mutations. Is that ethical?

A game that challenges pedestrians to avoid detection by an AI could help train tomorrow’s self-driving cars.

Exile is a kind of death of who you once were.

In hospice care and hospitals, we prioritize those with more life to live over those who are terminally ill. What is that, if not prejudice?

Your BS detector might not be as accurate as you think.

We all have a place in our lives where we look the other way and pretend everything is fine. It’s a built-in excuse to act selfishly.

Through humility, the old arrogance of infallibility crumbles. And in that there is genuine hope to prevent wrongful convictions.

Neural imaging has shown that the brain has “decided” what we’re going to do before we make a conscious choice — but is this even relevant to free will?

Humanity is never fully in control of its creations. This lesson from Mary Shelley has remained relevant for over 200 years.

Is true equality achievable — or even desirable? Go on a journey through the strange and unsettling “Land of Justice.”

Do you really need a monstrous upbringing to make monsters?

Ethicist and doctor Simon Whitney argues that society’s overly cautious approach to medical research is blocking breakthroughs.

Kelly Richmond Pope, a forensic accountant, shares a simple test that puts your ethics under the spotlight.

AI programs like ChatGPT can create “thanabots” based on deceased loved ones’ digital communications, allowing us to talk with the departed.

Big Think covered the 2012 study shortly after it was published. We are now correcting the record.

The debate goes back at least 400 years.

With U.S. infrastructure crumbling, an honor oath and iron ring remind engineers of their profession’s ethical weight.

No, Gandhi did not single-handedly bring about Indian independence. Pacifism alone usually gets you killed.

A 2020 study revived a longstanding controversy over Christopher Columbus’ claims of marauding cannibals in the Caribbean.

A proponent of panpsychism argues moral truth is inherent in consciousness.

In history, every major technological advance has been used, for good and bad.

Are people are more likely to act less emotionally and more rationally when speaking their second language?

From cosmetic procedures to heart operations, the introduction of AI will create an ethical minefield.

A team of scientists has warned that marketers seek to advertise in our dreams. Will our sleep be commercialized against our wishes?

Fear of technology is not new. But we misunderstand its origin. In reality, we don’t fear technology but each other.

Memory, responsibility, and mental maturity have long been difficult to describe objectively, but neuroscientists are starting to detect patterns. Coming soon to a courtroom near you?