A few weeks ago, Brian Crecente asked me to comment on whether or not I thought video game designers had a moral obligation to think about how they design games in light of recent evidence that some video games seem to be addictive. You can read the full article here, but here’s what I said: … Continue reading "More Thoughts on Designing Addictive Video Games"

Consent may be important in the dating world, but not so much to online dating site, OkCupid. Christian Rudder, CEO of OkCupid, admitted in a blog post that the site had run several experiments on its users over previous months, without their knowledge. Perhaps the most controversial of these experiments was one in which the site … Continue reading "Social Media Experiments: Where Should We Draw the Line?"

The act of volunteering seems inherently good and beneficial, and it almost sounds paradoxical to question that it is so. How could spending time helping people in need not be a positive thing? This recent story from NPR by Carrie Kahn discusses the rising trend in volunteerism and addresses concerns that may be raised due to the influx of … Continue reading "What Happens When Volunteering Becomes A Trend?"

It’s pretty commonplace nowadays to hear arguments either defending or condemning the integration of technology into our everyday lifestyle. Proponents of this integration often stress the convenience and connectedness that technology makes possible, while critics commonly claim that it can distract us and cause us to become cognitively lazy. We can easily apply these arguments to current innovations pertaining to … Continue reading "An Ancient and Modern Anxiety"

This article raises interesting questions about mobile health apps. It asks us to consider whether we should trust them, and to consider whether they should be regulated by the FDA. It’s interesting that both the side favoring regulation and the side arguing against regulation think that their position is the best path to innovation in the … Continue reading "Should You Trust Health Apps on Your Phone?"

And Night Owls are more likely to cheat in the morning. According to this recent study, people who are early risers tend to behave more unethically as the day goes on. By nightfall, they are much more likely to behave unethically than they are in the morning. Conversely, people who have a hard time getting … Continue reading "Morning People Are Less Ethical At Night"

The internet is blurring the boundaries between paid sponsorship and product review, and this is most apparent in the world of video game reviews. A recent article, over at Gamasutra discusses the an interesing ethical issue with video game YouTubers, people who record themselves playing video games while typically commenting on the gameplay. Is it ethical for … Continue reading "Paying YouTubers to Post Footage of Your Video Game"

This week, the internet relished in the suffering of Brazilian soccer fans in the wake of the loss to Germany. Photos went viral all over social media, and they often led to the question: What is wrong with these people? Isn’t there something ridiculous about allowing yourself to be that emotionally invested in a sports … Continue reading "Crying Brazilians and the Rationality of Team Loyalty"

This week Google founders made the shocking suggestion that we ought to move away from the 40 work week. As odd as their suggestion may sound, we ought to consider their two main points in favor of the suggestion. Their argument is simple. Obviously, people’s lives might be better if less of it were devoted to the … Continue reading "A World Without Work?"

“Choose a job that you like, and you will never have to work a day in your life”-Confucius How many times have you heard this advice? I grew up thinking that the only career path I should pursue is one where I love the work that I am doing. While I still strive to find … Continue reading "Finding the Value of Work"

Jacquelyn Stephens became a Graduate Fellow after graduating from DePauw in 2014 with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in French. Jacquelyn was a Prindle intern during her senior year. She initiated the Popcorn and Pop Culture ethics series and served as the Lead Intern for the Undergraduate Ethics Symposium. She is interested in … Continue reading "The 2014-2015 Graduate Fellows: Jacquelyn Stephens and Camille Veri"

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What do people talk about when they talk about Nelson Mandela? Carolyn Holmes, ’06, asked this question at last week’s symposium on the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela. The answer may not be as straightforward as you think. For decades, Mandela has been a symbol of justice, hope and dignity for the nation of … Continue reading "Deconstructing Nelson Mandela’s Legacy"

Turn on CNN. The anchor is most likely dissecting what may have happened to missing Malaysian flight 370 or the ferry that sunk off the coast of South Korea. The two disastrous events have prompted extended coverage on many television networks. The question becomes: does the information deserve such extended coverage, or is it merely … Continue reading "The Media and Tragedies: Coverage of Flight 370 and the Sewol Ferry Accident"

If education is competitive, getting a job is even more competitive. Most college students are pressured to join clubs, to play on teams and to take on leadership positions. We’re told that travel experience, studying abroad and having an internship or two will set us ahead. All of this, of course, on top of your … Continue reading "Cost of a Resume: Competing to Get the Job"

“What obligations do we have to our adversaries? Do virtue and integrity enhance or impede our quest for victory? Is competition an obstacle to or an essential component of a meaningful life? How should competition be effectively regulated?” These questions and others will be addressed by visiting students and scholars from across the country in … Continue reading "Competitive College: Does competition help or hinder our academic performance?"

How important are college rankings? As prospective students size up educational institutions, what is it that attracts them, their parents? Time and time again, we’ve seen DePauw’s name on the top party school list across the nation, but does that invalidate the academic standard we hold ourselves to? A new list was recently published by … Continue reading "The A-Listers: Can College Rankings Define a School?"

In light of recent discussions on campus, I’d like to offer up my own understanding of privilege.

With great anticipation for TOMS Founder Blake Mycoskie’s visit radiating throughout DePauw’s campus, I had to do a double take every time I saw the words “Conscious Capitalism” broadcast on posters. The term “conscious capitalism” has arisen out of the assumption that through making ‘helping’ fashionable, we are somehow working to end poverty. The reality, … Continue reading "TOMS: When ‘Conscious Capitalism’ Is Not Enough"

On Sunday, March 2nd, Blake Mycoskie, the president and founder of TOMs will deliver a speech about his story and his revolutionary Buy One Give One (BOGO) business model. I don’t need to point out that the Ubben Lecture Series has a reputation for bringing in impactful speakers from varying fields. The Ubben guests I’ve … Continue reading "Ubben Lecture by TOMS founder offers chance to think and act"

We have all seen the stories about the less-than-perfect conditions of the 2014 Winter Olympic games. There are stories of un-flushable toilets, malfunctioning snowflakes, and even an athlete breaking out of a jammed bathroom door like something out of a Kool-Aid commercial. Despite all of this, you can’t say that the Russian government didn’t try … Continue reading "Sochi Olympics’ ethical problems overshadow spirit of cooperation"

During my time at DePauw University, I have listened to lectures from esteemed guests such as Leymah Gbowee, Bill Clinton and Ron Paul. But this week, I heard a speech more critical than any other that I have heard on this campus: a speech from 87-year-old activist Harry Belafonte. Belafonte comes from a time when … Continue reading "Belafonte’s speech powerful, no one there to hear it"

All actions have consequences, and it turns out that the production of goods on the other side of the globe has consequences for air quality in the United States. It’s a well-known fact that air pollution in China has reached alarming levels, supported by the horrifying fact that 16 of the 20 most polluted cities … Continue reading "US outsources production and pollution to China with unintended consequences"

As we return from Thanksgiving feasts and our families, we may remember the holiday as a few days of rest, relaxation, and appreciation for all of our blessings. However, when contemplating the meaning of the Thanksgiving holiday and its history, it’s time that we look past the modern traditions and the classic story of Native … Continue reading "In Recognition of the Men and Women Who Came Before Us"