News of the Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics

The Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics seeks to strengthen teaching and research about pressing ethical issues; to foster sound norms of ethical reasoning and civic discussion; and to share the work of our community in the public interest.

Here are some of its recent activities.

• The Harvard Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics launches network for good governance of new technologies
  GETTING-Plurality stands for: Governance of Emerging Technology and Technology Innovations for Next-Generation Governance through Plurality.
  This new network will bring together researchers and academics of various disciplines across Harvard University to understand and manage the impact of technological development, including artificial intelligence, on democracy and social values.
  Led by Danielle Allen, director of the Ethics Center, the newtork will collaborate with various partners including Microsoft Research, the Plurality Institute, the UMass Initiative for Digital Public Infrastructure, the Council for Responsible Social Media, Collective Intelligence Project, Open Society University Network, and the Digital Humanism Initiative.  – Read more about GETTING-Plurality

• A lecture from Agnes Callard on politicization of speech
  American philosopher and associate professor of philosophy at the University of Chicago Agnes Callard calls for the depoliticization of arguments in debates on shaping laws. She says that trying to simply reject the opponent’s point of view damages the common grounds for democratic discussion.
  Instead, Callard takes Socrates as an example of a man who did not bow to critics of impiety and continued his teaching, at the risk of his own life. She points out that he wanted debaters to delve into understanding of issues and not simply win arguments. – Read more

• A debate on Boston radio on better teaching the history of slavery
  Boston radio WBUR invited Danielle Allen to its broadcast On Point to debate how American educators can better teach the history of slavery.
  She commented: “We have to have an honest history that is honest all the way through, even as it is also cultivating civic bonds and civic connections”. – Listen to the podcast

• The Allen Years: Ethics Symposium
  This event will celebrates Professor Danielle Allen’s visionary work during her years as the Faculty Director of the Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics (2015-2023). She has built on the Center’s earlier approaches to create a powerful, adaptive new model, and leaves the Center fort Ethics a vibrant, dynamic place.
  The event will occur on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, from 3:00pm to 7:00pm at the Loeb House. –  Discover the panels and the full program