Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard University

08/20/2026

As AI systems increasingly appear to demonstrate characteristics like friendship and empathy, how do human beings articulate what is valuable about our own, often flawed and limited, companionship?

Two Harvard University-affiliated researchers, including former Center Fellow-in-Residence Jason D'Cruz, took up the question this summer with singer-songwriter Sean Ono Lennon, who recently released a concept album threaded with AI skepticism. The three met at the Harvard Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study for a taping of the Sing For Science podcast, which regularly convenes scientists and musicians for conversations on overlapping interests. The episode, hosted by New York musician and Sing for Science creator Matt Whyte, is available now.

Read the full story in the FAS Current:

AI chatbots appear to be perfectly friendly and empathetic. Where does that leave the value of bona fide human companionship, with all its limitations and flaws? The singer-songwriter, who recently released a concept album threaded with AI skepticism, appeared on the Singing for Science podcast to t...

08/17/2026

How do we motivate people to use civil discourse skills in everyday life? How can we help people overcome the tendency to abandon civil discourse practices in a heated conversation, or to abandon the conversation altogether?

We invite undergraduates, graduate students and young scholars from Boston area colleges and universities to design a game that helps users engage with difficult, contested, or uncomfortable conversations.

The event will take place over the course of three days, October 2-5, from 1:00pm-5:00pm EST each day. Learn more, register, or read about the last Hackathon here: https://www.ethics.harvard.edu/event/innovating-civil-discourse-instructional-design-hackathon-0

08/04/2026

American universities are under growing pressure. Debates over intellectual diversity have become increasingly polarized, and many students say they don't feel comfortable speaking openly about controversial issues.

Against this backdrop, Harvard Radcliffe Institute convened scholars and leaders from colleges, universities, and think tanks across the United States with a wide range of perspectives to discuss these problems. The resulting white paper provides a thoughtful set of recommendations for creating healthier, more intellectually vibrant universities.

Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics Director Eric Beerbohm is one of the 15 participants and signatories of the white paper, which can be read here: https://www.radcliffe.harvard.edu/news-and-ideas/intellectual-diversity-and-the-mission-of-higher-education

Photo credit: Dylan Goodman

07/07/2026

Longtime Edmond & Lily Safra Center affiliate Professor Frances Kamm has been elected President of the American Philosophical Association(APA), Eastern Division. We congratulate Professor Kamm on this well-deserved honor and are proud to celebrate her alongside a distinguished group of Harvard University colleagues who have held the Association's highest offices.

The Safra Center has long been home to leaders in the philosophical community. Since its founding in 1986, Center affiliates have played a prominent role in the APA.

Founding Director Dennis F. Thompson served as President of the APA Central Division (1998–99). Faculty Associate and charter Faculty Committee member T.M. Scanlon led the APA Eastern Division (2002–03), followed by former Center Director and current Faculty Associate Danielle Allen (2014–15). Current Faculty Committee member Tommie Shelby served as President of the APA Eastern Division (2020–21).

https://www.ethics.harvard.edu/news/2026/07/frances-kamm-elected-president-american-philosophical-association-eastern-division

06/26/2026

"This book is filled with amazing discoveries that will enrich the way we think of America’s founding." — Walter Isaacson

"How important and provocative can a book be?" — Gordon S. Wood

Former Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics Director Danielle Allen's new book, Radical Duke, sheds new light on the American Revolution. A perfect semiquincentennial summer read.

America’s fight for independence is often considered a battle fought and won at home. A new book argues that it was propelled by a transnational élite an ocean away.

06/15/2026

The recent arrival of the world's first trillionaire has brought along a wide spectrum of ethical opinions on wealth.

The Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics hosted a debate in anticipation of this moment. Panelists representing fields including philosophy, political economy, and business administration staked contrasting and occasionally unexpected positions on whether the super-rich are a net positive for society.

Read Christy DeSmith's coverage of the event in the Harvard Gazette, or watch the event on our YouTube channel:

The Ethics of Extreme Wealth June 15, 2026 The recent arrival of the world's first trillionaire has brought along a wide spectrum of ethical opinions on wealth.The Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics hosted a debate in anticipation of this moment, inviting participants to wrestle with issues of ex...

06/12/2026

Former Fellow-in-Residence Dr. David O'Brien has a new article in titled "Why it Matters That Some are Worse Off Than Those Who Could Have Existed." The article examines egalitarianism and prioritarianism as they relate to a case raised by philosopher Michael Otsuka. Read the article here: https://www.ethics.harvard.edu/news/2026/06/why-it-matters-some-are-worse-those-who-could-have-existed

06/05/2026

Congratulations to Safra Center Faculty Associate Joshua Greene, Alfred and Rebecca Lin Professor of Civil Discourse, on receiving the 2026 Faculty Prize for Excellence in General Education at Harvard University!

Greene's course asks, "how can we understand the evolution of morality—from primordial soup to superintelligent machines—and how might the science of morality equip us to meet our most pressing moral challenges?"

Learn more:

The award recognizes outstanding course design and teaching that exemplifies the program’s pedagogical aims.

05/28/2026

“Future generations will view the medical neglect occurring in federal immigration detention centers as a profound ethical failure in US medicine.”

A new article in Health Affairs by former fellow Dr. Katherine Peeler and co-authors Drs. Krutika Kuppalli and Tim Lahey argues that states should take a more active role in detention center oversight, offering California as an example.

Read the article here:

Given the federal government’s failure to demonstrate responsible oversight of medical care in the nation’s rapidly expanding network of ICE detention facilities, states should take a more active role in addressing ongoing legal and ethical violations.

05/22/2026

Our pedagogy team is always working to develop new tools, resources, activities, and lesson plans that apply active learning to teach ethics-related topics in an immersive and engaging way.

This Spring, they had an idea — host a competition to create the best game or lesson plan for facilitating difficult conversations. Organized by Tomer Perry, Associate Director of Pedagogy and Maxine Gill, Pre-Doctoral Fellow, the one-day event, “Innovating Civil Discourse: An Instructional Design Hackathon,” welcomed students and scholars from the Boston area to design something ready for use in a classroom.

The winning team — all from the Harvard Graduate School of Education — Luis Gaitan, Abeeha Tahir, Raia Karmali, and Shreya Goel, created a digital decision-making simulation built around ethical dilemmas intended for Harvard College students concentrating in STEM-related fields.

Two teams tied for second place. Kelly Ding and Cristina DeOliveira created a board game to help students practice ethical reasoning involving the impacts of AI in real-world settings.

Kat Mitchell, Ashley Blazek, and Qiao Le L. created a conversation-based card game that encourages players to develop crucial conversational skills, such as active listening and perspective taking.

Thank you to the judges!
Marta McAlister, Director of Gemini for Education
Eliza O'Neil, Senior Curriculum Manager at The Constructive Dialogue Institute
Eric Beerbohm, Faculty Director of the Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics

Read more about these projects below:

Gaming for Good: A One Day Instructional Design Hackathon May 22, 2026 Genevieve Wallace The pedagogy team at the Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics is always working to develop new tools, resources, activities, and lesson plans that apply active learning to teach ethics-related topics in an imme...