The introduction of vaccines was one of the biggest leaps in medical history.  To think that one could be permanently immune to a specific disease was incredibly enticing to the population at large.  There has been recent controversy, however, on whether or not vaccines are the best option for protecting individuals against disease, especially in young … Continue reading "The Necessity of Vaccination"

Four and half months ago, I left Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America for the bonnie land of Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom. With only eight weeks of my semester long adventure left, I can say that I did not expect to run into any ethical dilemmas while abroad. Yet being in another country has forced … Continue reading "Ignorance is Bliss?: Cultural Sensitivity while Abroad"

The conflict in Syria is a humanitarian catastrophe on a massive scale, with hundreds of thousands dead and millions of others forced to flee their homes. Recently, the BBC has attempted to expand the impact of the Syrian narrative by tapping into an intimate intersection between humans and technology: the video game. Journalist Mamdouh Akbiek … Continue reading "Electronic Empathy: Video Games as Media"

The Prindle Institute for Ethics formally invites all DePauw students to submit coursework relating to ethics or of ethical concern. The Prindle Prize Program is an annual competition, which gives students the opportunity to win monetary prizes for their involvement with Prindle and dedication to including ethics in their academics. Submission categories for coursework from the … Continue reading "Submit Coursework for Prindle Prize, Win $ Prizes!"

In recent years, immigration to Italy and other parts of the Mediterranean from Africa and the Middle East has increased significantly. Immigrants are determined as ever as they choose to endure the possible threats of treacherous conditions, poorly contracted boats, pirates, and on-ship conflict for the chance at a better life in Europe. Migrant ships have been … Continue reading "A New Life: Worth the Risk?"

Every week, the Prindle Intern team weighs in on an ethical issue together. Each intern is challenged to keep their response to five sentences – Ethics in 5. Click on an intern’s name to check out their previous posts on The Prindle Post! This week’s question: Water and California California is, and has been, experiencing an … Continue reading "Ethics in 5: Printerns on Water"

According to a recent report by The Guardian,  John Hopkins University is being accused of carrying out lethal experiments on over 800 Guatemalan research participants in the 1940s and 1950s. Claimants are now suing the university for over a billion dollars in damages. Allegedly, the John Hopkins School of Medicine intentionally selected highly vulnerable research participants, … Continue reading "Fatal realities of medical experimentation: the case of Guatemala"

The motorcycle racing community was in uproar for months following the decision handed down by the FIM (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme/International Motorcycle Federation) to ban pro Supercross/Motocross racer James Stewart for one year for an anti-doping violation. Stewart tested positive for amphetamines at the Seattle Supercross last June. It was later determined that these came … Continue reading "Adderall Aftermath: The Implications of James Stewart’s Supercross Ban"

Hydraulic fracturing, commonly referred to as “fracking,” is a method of extracting natural gas by drilling wells and then shooting liquids at high pressures down the well in order to fracture the shale surrounding natural gas reservoirs. It is currently one of the cheapest and most lucrative methods of extraction, and is sustainable in the sense … Continue reading "Do the Economic Benefits of Fracking Outweigh the Risk of Pollution and Depletion of Natural Resources?"

This post by Dr. Jeff McCall was originally published in The Indy Star on April 3, 2015. The good news is that nearly 90 percent of recently surveyed millennials say they get news off Facebook. The bad news is that most of those social media users stumble into the “news” only when they go to the … Continue reading "What Millennials Consume on Facebook"

Taking into account recent emails and updates from DePauw Administration in regards to the student meal plan, students have begun to voice concerns not only about the meal plan changes, but also about the fact that the student body was not consulted about these changes that affect them so directly.  Their concerns highlight not only … Continue reading "Ethics of Student Choice – DePauw’s “New” Meal Plan"

Recently, the P5+1 powers (China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, United States, plus Germany) have taken interest in reducing the amount of nuclear weaponry in Iran. In light of historically strained relations with post-revoluntionary Iran, the major world powers have reason to be feel threatened by the prospect of a nuclear program in the country. Suspicions were confirmed as a … Continue reading "Ethics of the Iranian Nuclear Deal"

Ed Garnes ’99 will be returning to DePauw this Sunday as part of the Sweet Tea Ethics College and Community Tour. He will be presenting out here at the Prindle Institute for Ethics 10 a.m. as part of the DePauw’s Philanthrophy and Excellence Weekend for Multicultural alumni. Below are some details about Sweet Tea Ethics and … Continue reading "Sweet Tea Ethics at Prindle This Sunday"

In the most recent election in India, the Hindu Nationalist Party (BJP) won. In the state of Maharashtra, the new government has banned the possession and sale of beef. Since it is against their religion to consume beef, the government has now forced religious dietary restrictions onto followers of Hinduism and non-Hindus. Violators of the new … Continue reading "Banning Beef in India"

The Prindle Institute is excited to announce the winners of the first annual High School Ethics Essay Contest! Over 100 high school students responded to the prompt “Should we impose a travel ban on countries with Ebola?” The five winners received a cash prize of $300. Excerpts from the five winning essays are featured below.

Every week, the Prindle Intern team weighs in on an ethical issue together. Each intern is challenged to keep their response to five sentences – Ethics in 5. Click on an intern’s name to check out their previous posts on The Prindle Post! This week’s question: Social Networking Ethics Comments regarding employers or coworkers posted … Continue reading "Ethics in 5: Printerns on Social Networking Ethics"

Cheney is a senior intern from Glen Ellyn, Illinois. She studies English Literature and Spanish at DePauw. Tell us about an ethics/social justice issue that is particularly important to you. Traveling throughout Mexico, Nicaragua and Costa Rica has really sparked my interest in working to better understand global inequalities and, more specifically, immigration reform. Studying … Continue reading "Prindle Intern Spotlight: Cheney Hagerup"

The recent shooting death of Walter Scott in South Carolina is rekindling a national debate about police and body cameras.  It was caught on video, and many surmise that this would have easily been covered up had the video not been taken by a brave bystander. Paul Butler, a Georgetown Law Professor says, “In the … Continue reading "Should police wear body cameras?"

At the age of 18, all male citizens of the United States are legally required to register for the Selective Service, so that they may be called to serve in the military in the event of a draft. Although there has not been a draft since the Vietnam War, selective service registration resumed in 1980 … Continue reading "Gender and the Draft"

As cancer becomes increasingly prevalent in our society, cancer screening and treatment have developed into some of the most expensive and important facets of the medical world.  More and more women are faced with unfavorable results from routine mammograms.  Or so they are told. In his article on breast cancer overtreatment, Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar discusses the … Continue reading "Moral Concerns About Breast Cancer Treatment"

By nature, the increase of online news reporting and journalism pressures journalists to get the story fast and as accurate as possible. In the recent case of “A Rape on Campus,” Rolling Stones writer, Sabrina Rubin Erdely made the mistake of going after a story, even when not all of the accurate pieces of the story were obtained or obtainable. Her … Continue reading "The Importance of Walking Away"

Virginia just became the newest state to “ban the box“. State employers can no longer ask about a job applicant’s criminal record during the application process. Once they have determined that an applicant is qualified for the job, they are still permitted to do a criminal background check. The rationale is that it gives people … Continue reading "Asking About Criminal History on Job Applications"

Nothing in life is free. It’s an old, possibly overused adage, but one that rings ever more true on the Internet. We expect free access to everything on the Internet. Our music on Spotify is free, Facebook, Twitter and all the social media accounts we use to distract us from the drudge of life are … Continue reading "Don’t use ad blocking software for the greater good"

New Reddit CEO, Ellen Pao, is making waves across the tech and finance industry with her recent decision to end salary negotiations for new hires. This new policy was unveiled in her interview with The Wall Street Journal yesterday as she talked about a wide range of issues related to gender in the tech industry. Pao … Continue reading "Should CEOs End Salary Negotiation?"