Applied Ethics Commons^™

Deportation And Death: Examining The Second Trump Administration’S Immigration Policy Through The Lens Of Just War Theory, Finley W. Snyder

Augustana Center for the Study of Ethics Essay Contest

From day one of the second Trump administration, the White House has treated illegal immigration as an invasion, both rhetorically and, to a lesser extent, legally. The administration has not shied away from the use of force in this campaign, leading to the notable killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti along with countless acts of violence across the nation. This essay seeks to evaluate the ethics of the second Trump administration's immigration policy from within this "war" framing through the lens of just war theory. While there has been considerable attention to just war theory in the context of …

Bioengineering The Future Of The Human Species: H+’S Ideological Iterations Of Trans-/Posthumanity As Exemplified By Futurist Literary Texts = (Bio)Technological Solutions For (And/Or) Reification Of Systemic Inequities?, Marjorie E. Bomhower

English Theses & Dissertations

While humanity has, throughout our species’ history, endeavored to dream and create astonishing, and ever-evolving, (bio)technologies with the utopian ideals of bettering our day-to day lives and achieving greater longevity, our endeavors have (thus far) not only produced remarkable, beneficial advances in longevity and quality of life, but have also yielded devastating and dire outcomes; often at the cost and victimization of marginalized communities. This dissertation focuses on select (bio)technologies – particularly, those promoted by H+ (the most current and popular technoutopianist non-profit, “educational,” organization) – with an investigation of current and nascent (bio)technological evolutions, futurist literary texts, and critical/digital …

Self-Surrendering Love: Initial Musings On Karuna And Caritas, Wesley Kim Soguilon

Mabini Review

he paper explores and exposes the connections between the Buddhist virtue Karuna and the Christian virtue Caritas. Employing a text-based analysis approach, the paper argues that both Karuna and Caritas have intersections, though their origins and inherent development in each religious tradition differ. After the exploration and exposition, it is found out that both virtues may be considered expressions of self-surrendering love whereby a faithful person sets aside oneself for the greater or common good, much more the good of the other. This is exemplified by the Bodhisattvas and the Saints, two interesting religious figures in Buddhism and Christianity, respectively.

Learning Spaces, Others And Self: The “I—Learning” Experience Of Philosophy Students In Achieving Learning Competencies In A Pandemic, Mark Gatus

Mabini Review

Academic programs set learning competencies as essential standards to ensure that students acquire the necessary knowledge, skills, and values. The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) prescribed the competencies for the AB Philosophy Program through CMO No. 26 s. 2017, which includes the ability to demonstrate critical and logical thinking, construct cogent arguments, engage analytically and interpretively with philosophical texts, develop research and academic writing skills, apply philosophical theories to concrete situations, and critically evaluate the essence of philosophical learning in relation to the True, the Good, and the Just. However, the teaching-learning process was disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic, raising …

Profane Language: On The Philosophy Of Cursing In The Contemporary Era, Billy Jan Puerta

Mabini Review

Politeness is a foundational virtue, instilled from an early age, that fosters human connections and societal engagement. This virtue underscores the tremendous relationship between language and courtesy, highlighting the values of respect in interaction within the community fabric. Language's nature, as a reflection of culture, community, and identity, is analyzed, revealing its capacity to uphold or erode these societal pillars. Despite its potential as a pillar of politeness, profane language presents an ironical contradiction. Profane language mo, mostly known as cursing, emerges as a cultural taboo, marked by its aggressive and often deemed inappropriate nature. This paper dives into why …

Practices And Ethics In The Act Of Transmission In Social Work In A Disrupted Environment, Ana-Luana Deram, Ségolène Payan

Journal of Social Care

At the dawn of the 21st century, we are witnessing demographic, sociological, professional and institutional changes that accompany educational policies and transformations in social work training, giving rise to paradoxical demands sometimes being placed on educators. Like a beacon, adherence to an ethic of consideration in transmission through teaching, sharing and comprehension, nourish the reflection associated with the support of today's social work students.

En ce début de XXIème siècle nous sommes témoins des changements démographiques, sociologiques, professionnels et institutionnels qui accompagnent les politiques éducatives et les mutations de la formation en travail social, à l’origine des injonctions paradoxales parfois …

Duties To The Self (Body And Mind), Rasha Essam

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis contends that self-duties are of vital significance, representing the obligations we owe to ourselves, and examines them through different life phenomena. Chapter One defends the existence of self-duties against a challenge raised by an (alleged) paradox. Chapters Two and Three then explore two particular self-duties related to the body and the mind, analyzed through the philosophical notions of self-objectification and moral testimony. Each chapter elaborates on these concepts with detailed real-life examples that illustrate how such experiences can undermine one’s humanity—as preserving one’s humanity is a core duty toward oneself. The purpose of this thesis is not only …

The Racial Politics Of Early Dentistry And The Terrible “Toothache Blues”, Bronwen Mcveigh Phd

Journal of the American College of Dentists

In interwar America, the relatively young profession of dentistry was developing rapidly. As the government, health institutions, and social organizers focused more intently on notions of national wellness, questions about how to achieve a healthy smile—and what a healthy smile should look like—proliferated. Groups like the National Dental Association worked to establish rigorous standards of technique, define ethical behavior, and encourage dentists to develop business acumen, yet the surprising proliferation of blues songs about dubious dentists tricking unassuming clients, or about fraught love affairs allegorized by disastrous dental exams, highlights the equivocal nature of many developments in early dentistry.

This …

The Mouth As A Mirror: A Parent- Hygienist’S Ethical Reflections On Oral Healthcare And Pompe Disease, Anika Atkins Ma, Rdh

Journal of the American College of Dentists

This reflective narrative explores the ethical tensions and emotional realities of a dental hygienist who is also the parent of a child with Pompe disease. Drawing from personal experience and care ethics philosophy, the author examines how traditional clinical frameworks—centered on autonomy, beneficence, and protocol— often fall short when addressing the needs of medically fragile children. The piece weaves in the work of care ethicists and pastoral ministry to embrace the philosophy of caregiving as presence, to suggest that oral healthcare must evolve to include responsiveness, context, and relationship-based decision-making. Through the dual lens of provider and parent, the narrative …

Integrating Music Therapy Into Dental Clinics For Whole Person Care, Dana Osterling Benoit Mba, Mt-Bc, Nisreen Al Jallad Dds, Ms2, Shasha Cui Ed.D. Mba, Mandy Fraser, Gaelen Mccormick Mm1, Rosemary Oliva Obi Ms, Lcat, Mtbc1, Adela Planerova Dds, Ms2, Madeline Vinolus Mt-Bc1, Angela Valeria Perez Pita Dds, Ms2

Journal of the American College of Dentists

This case study describes the integration of a board-certified music therapist into two specialty dental clinics at the University of Rochester Medical Center’s Eastman Institute for Oral Health. Initiated in collaboration with the Eastman Performing Arts Medicine Center, the effort reflects a humanistic and biopsychosocial approach to dentistry that leverages music therapy to reduce anxiety, improve patient experience, and support better clinical outcomes.

Before implementation, monthly interdisciplinary planning meetings were held, bringing together dental faculty, research and administrative staff, and the music therapy team. These meetings built a shared understanding of each clinic’s unique patient population, workflow, and clinical priorities, …

J Am Coll Dent 2026 92 2a

Journal of the American College of Dentists

This special issue of the Journal of the American College of Dentists responds to a growing but long-underrecognized demand for humanities and ethics in dental education, practice, and scholarship. It emerges from the work of the National Collaborative on Humanities and Ethics in Dentistry (NCHED), a multi-institutional partnership formed in 2023 to address the persistent exclusion of dentistry from broader health humanities conversations. Through national webinars and scholarly collaboration, NCHED has demonstrated substantial interest in ethical reflection, historical analysis, narrative inquiry, and the arts as essential to understanding oral health and dental care. The unexpectedly strong response to the call …

A Proposal For More Useful Ai Ethics: Hierarchical Principlism & The Principle Of Compassion, Adam Braus

Applied Computer Science | Faculty Scholarship

Principlism is one of the leading approaches to AI ethics. Developed originally to address bioethical issues in medicine and research, the theory requires decision-makers to consider various ethical principles to justify their actions. Despite its dominance in bioethics and growing popularity in AI ethics, principlism faces serious theoretical and practical criticisms. One serious criticism is that since ethical principles are combined ad hoc, conflicts inevitably arise between them, leading to inconsistencies. While defenders of principlism propose a process for resolving such disputes, contemporary critics argue that this process is incomplete, and at best, principlist frameworks can only help structure analysis …

Observation, Analysis, Compassion, William J. Maloney Dds, Pgcertmed, Facd

Journal of the American College of Dentists

Drawing on examples from literature, art, and history, this article argues that optimal health care rests on a triad of observation, analysis, and compassion. Referencing physician-writers and keen observers such as Anton Chekhov, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Leonardo da Vinci, the discussion illustrates how careful attention to the human condition enhances diagnostic insight and ethical care. In the context of unprecedented global migration and strained health care systems, clinicians are challenged to move beyond technical competence toward a deeper understanding of patients’ fears, cultural barriers, and dignity. At the intersection of careful observation, thoughtful analysis, and genuine compassion, the highest …

A Defense Of The Good Samaritan Argument For The Moral Permissibility Of Abortion, Ava Von Pechmann

Pitzer Senior Theses

Judith Jarvis Thomson’s 1971 essay “A Defense of Abortion” is a foundational work in contemporary abortion ethics. It offers a critical analysis of and detailed rebuttal against the argument from a right to life, a prominent anti-abortion argument premised on fetal personhood. Thomson crucially asserts that we may offer a concession to the abortion critic by accepting the premise that a fetus is a person, and still reject the conclusion that abortion is morally impermissible. This is because the right to life does not necessarily entail the right to use another’s body for survival. As such, carrying an unwanted fetus …

The Enduring Values Of Dentistry, Donald E. Carter Iii, Dbe, Mdiv, Mba

Journal of the American College of Dentists

The Editorial is a feature in each issue of the JACD. It includes commentary on issue content, relevant topics, or other items of interest to the fellowship.

Fluoride Justice, Brandon Ambrosino Phd, Mts, Ma

Journal of the American College of Dentists

Despite once being hailed as the second most effective medical intervention of the 20th century, fluoride has recently come under public attack. Taking aim at community water fluoridation, critics allege that fluoridation should be a matter of personal choice. This claim, however, overlooks both basic dental science and, more importantly, questions about our mutual obligations. This essay argues that providing people from all walks of life with access to a safe, low-cost, easy-to-use water source proven to improve oral health outcomes is an issue of community justice.

Values That Never Change

Journal of the American College of Dentists

Each issue of the Journal of the American College of Dentists (JACD) features an archival article selected for its continued relevance to contemporary issues in dentistry. This article provides historical context and enduring insights that inform current discussions in the profession.

The Legal Philosophy Behind Zoos Confinement Of Animals, Jamie Lynn Tucker Crockett

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

In my essay, I will be diving into the controversial issue of Animal containment, focusing on zoos in the United States. I will be taking this opportunity to establish a new way of thinking about the argument which states the pros of zoos outweigh the negative effects they have on the animals who live there. Neither side of the argument has a malicious intention towards harming animals. Instead, each side shows a different approach of what it is to properly care, and respect for animal rights. Those arguing in support of zoos commonly reference arguments dating back to Aristotle. However, …

J Am Coll Dent 2026 92 2b

Journal of the American College of Dentists

This special issue of the Journal of the American College of Dentists responds to a growing but long-underrecognized demand for humanities and ethics in dental education, practice, and scholarship. It emerges from the work of the National Collaborative on Humanities and Ethics in Dentistry (NCHED), a multi-institutional partnership formed in 2023 to address the persistent exclusion of dentistry from broader health humanities conversations. Through national webinars and scholarly collaboration, NCHED has demonstrated substantial interest in ethical reflection, historical analysis, narrative inquiry, and the arts as essential to understanding oral health and dental care.

The unexpectedly strong response to the call …

Beyond The Veil: Critical Black Kantianism And The Ethics Of Structural (In)Visibility, Paradise A. Stanford

Theses and Dissertations--Philosophy

This dissertation develops what I call Critical Black Kantianism, a reconstructive approach to Kantian moral philosophy that centers race, recognition, and the structural conditions under which moral agency is formed. While Kantian ethics typically presumes idealized agents operating within just social contexts, this project argues that such abstraction obscures how racial domination actively shapes autonomy, dignity, and self-consciousness. Drawing on W.E.B. Du Bois’ account of double consciousness, Black feminist thought, and contemporary theories of recognition, I show that moral agency is not merely exercised within social environments but is constituted through them—often under conditions of misrecognition that fracture autonomy.

Against …