Applied Ethics Commons^™

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 …

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 …

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 …

An Examination Of Sycophantic Llms: The Case For Withholding Judgement, Josephine C. Albrecht

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis investigates sycophancy in large language models (LLMs) and argues that although agreement can be socially appealing, it introduces serious epistemic and moral risks. Through Mrinank Sharma’s experiments, I show that sycophancy emerges reliably across major AI assistants, which adjust their responses to match users’ beliefs; even when those beliefs are incorrect. I explain how deep learning and reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF) shape these behaviors, and why models learn to prioritize user satisfaction over truth. While agreement can build trust, mimic expert testimony, and satisfy human preferences, it also produces epistemic bubbles and misplaced confidence. These risks …

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 …

Practicing Dentistry And The Piano: Reflections On Coaching, Feedback, And The Humanities In Dental Education, Sarah E. Grafton Dmd

Journal of the American College of Dentists

Dentistry is often described as both art and science, yet its pedagogy still leans heavily on technical instruction. Drawing on the author’s personal experience as a lifelong piano student, this paper explores the parallels between learning a musical instrument and developing clinical skills in dental education. Both domains require the integration of mind and hand, repeated practice, and feedback that transform mistakes into growth. Piano training illustrates that mastery emerges not from innate talent but from deliberate practice and the willingness to accept critique. This orientation provides a framework for understanding dental education as coaching rather than didactic instruction. Dental …

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 …

How Dentists Can Remain Advisors Of Merit To Their Patients, Daniel L. Orr Ii, Dds, Ms (Anesth), Phd, Jd, Md, Facd (Nevada Section Chair)

Journal of the American College of Dentists

This article examines how members of the dental profession can sustain their longstanding reputation as trusted advisors amid declining public confidence in major institutions. Grounded in ethical principles, informed consent, and professional self-regulation, dentistry has historically ranked among the most trusted professions. The discussion explores challenges to credibility, including media scrutiny, concerns about anesthesia safety, controversial treatment hesitancy, and debates over community water fluoridation. Emphasizing the concept of the “advisor of merit,” the author argues that continued trust depends on truthful communication, transparency about risks, respect for patient autonomy, and freedom from conflicts of interest in clinical and public health …

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 …

A Delphi Study Of Ethical Best Practices For Psychedelic Assisted Therapy, Alyssa K. Griskiewicz

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this Delphi study was to establish areas of ethical consensus regarding psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) from the perspectives of an expert panel of practitioners, with attention to issues of equity and access. Participants (N = 29) include individuals with two or more years of experience in one or more of the following domains of psychedelic expertise: clinical/professional practice, scholarly/research contributions, or guided community/ceremonial facilitation. In Round 1, qualitative data were collected through open-ended questions and analyzed using thematic analysis to generate Delphi statements. In Round 2, panelists (N = 24) rated these statements using a Likert-type scale to …

Reconciling Discretion With The Rule Of Law: A Rawlsian Analysis Of Civil Disobedience By State Actors In Liberal-Democratic Schemes, Reid Devoge

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This dissertation starts from the position that the stability of liberal-democratic political schemes relies on its citizens mutually accepting a basic conception of political justice. While these conceptions of justice may vary, most incorporate the inter-connected concepts of autonomy, liberty, liberalism, and the rule of law. Within this conception of a liberal democracy, a potentially destabilizing issue arises when a legislatively passed law is put into effect, but a portion of the citizens perceive it as unjust. If legitimate (i.e., lawful) actions do not sufficiently resolve the concern, civil disobedience (i.e., disobeying the law) is a potential recourse, but this …

Free Speech On The Web And Its Limits, Moris Stern

Open Educational Resources

This assignment uses ChatGPT as a learning tool to examine the democratic justification and limits of free speech on the web. Students analyze arguments for and against online free expression through Kantian respect for persons and Utilitarian maximization of overall well-being. Using AI-generated historical and controversial cases, students evaluate whether specific instances of free speech are morally justifiable, challenge their own conclusions with AI-constructed counterarguments, and critically assess AI-generated summaries. The assignment emphasizes philosophical reasoning, ethical analysis, and reflective engagement with AI as an academic tool.

To Print A Remake: An Analysis Of Hollywood Remakes And Their Cultural Value, Connor F. Seaton

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In recent years, audiences and movie critics have expressed concern that Hollywood’s growing reliance on remakes, sequels, franchises, and similar adaptations has led to a broader worry that originality is fading from modern cinema and that the industry is instead focused on using adaptations to maximize profits. Although adaptation is often seen as a commercially driven framework for reproducing existing intellectual property in a new media format, this thesis argues that it should be recognized as an autonomous cultural category with its own artistic, historical, and social significance and merit. By analyzing adaptation scholarship and reviewing its complex historical development, …

Complexity Theory And Environmental Conservation Management: A Case Study With Coyote And Red Wolf Hybridization, Gretchen E. Mahalic

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Conservation biology and invasion biology are value-led scientific disciplines founded on environmental advocacy, operating at the intersection of research and action. Though these disciplines are known for their scientific veracity, unexamined values are often promulgated without scrutiny and drive decisions that work against good ecological outcomes. A case in point is that coyotes migrating into southeastern territory are framed as the greatest threat to the conservation of the endangered red wolf because hybridization is seen as diminishing their species integrity. Applying Val Plumwood’s ecofeminist account of dualistic frameworks, I will use this case to show how the vilification of the …

Who Bears The Cost? A Module For Researching The Intersection Of Technology, The Individual, And Climate Change, Jonathan Auyer

Climate Change and the Individual, 2025-26

Who Bears the Cost? A Module for Researching the Intersection of Technology, the Individual, and Climate Change is a multi-day writing and research module designed for first-year composition courses. Using the ongoing controversy surrounding the Science, Technology & Advanced Manufacturing Park (STAMP) in Genesee County, New York as a central case study, students investigate the ethical, environmental, and social dimensions of artificial intelligence and climate change. The module guides students from initial inquiry, exploring the philosophical question of whether technology is value-neutral or value-laden, through source research, collaborative discussion, and persuasive writing. Drawing on the rhetorical framework of They Say …

Righteous Defenders And Evil Challengers: The Morally Polarized Battle For Books On Reddit, Erika Casburn

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The issue of book bans has moved to the forefront of public and political debate over the past few years. Anti-censorship advocates who defend against these challenges have yet to be studied. The purpose of this study was to examine the beliefs and worldviews as expressed by those defenders in a public forum—Reddit. Data in the form of Reddit threads was collected from subreddits belonging to states that have seen the greatest number of book challenges. This data was subjected to discourse analysis, first manually, then by qualitative analysis software (MAXQDA). Analysis revealed that defenders spent a majority of discursive …

A Patient-Centered Approach To Physician-Assisted Death For Patients With Treatment-Resistant Major Depressive Disorder, Moc Lan Nguyen

Honors Program Theses

In medical ethics, the arguments for allowing physician-assisted death (PAD) access for physically and terminally ill patients are well-accepted. These arguments mainly stem from the rise of support for patient autonomy and recent criticisms of paternalism. While this notion in support of PAD is generally held in various medical disciplines, psychiatry remains staunchly couched in their conviction of paternalism. Compounded with the principle of suicide prevention, psychiatry is reluctant to accept PAD for its mentally ill patients as it goes against their profession’s role responsibilities. Furthermore, there is plenty of skepticism regarding mentally ill patients’ competency, which calls into question …

Just War Theory In The Hunger Games: Suzanne Collins’S Critique Of Violence, Power, And Rebellion, Laila Hannum

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis applies just war theory to Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games trilogy, arguing that while the districts' rebellion satisfies the principles of jus ad bellum (justice in going to war), it systematically violates jus in bello (justice in the conduct of war) and jus post bellum (justice after war), and ultimately replicates the oppressive structures of the Capitol it sought to overthrow.

Drawing primarily on Michael Walzer's Just and Unjust Wars and on Brian Orend's ideas on post-war justice, this thesis traces the rebellion's moral arc across all three novels. Chapter One shows that the rebellion meets the criteria …