Ethics Bowl

Caption: Members of the 2012-2013 Ethics bowl team, left to right are: Dan Searles, Aaron Fiorucci, Melissa Montenegro, Lucien Pino, Stacey Chang, Mallory Hughes, Nick Becker, Rita Manning, Riley King, June Brown, Kevin York, Will (forensic support) and Dean Dominguez

Since 1999, the Philosophy Department at San Jose State has sponsored an Ethics Bowl team. The Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl is a national program sponsored by the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics. Each year, after ten regional competitions, the national competition hosts approximately 40 student teams from colleges around the country.

Modeled on television's College Bowl, the Ethics Bowl requires competitors to analyze difficult ethical problems drawn from practical and professional contexts, in cases that encompass business ethics, legal ethics, international law, health care ethics, ethics in policing, and educational ethics. Student teams present and defend their solutions to these problems in response to questions asked by judges in a format that closely resembles a debate. They are judged on their understanding of the issues, the cogency of their solutions, and the strength of their oral presentations.

Past cases, judging guidelines, and other information about Ethics Bowl competitions.

The SJSU Ethics Bowl team welcomes students from any major. Participating in the Ethics Bowl will help you develop research skills, skills in philosophical, political and legal analysis, and communication skills. 

If you are interested, contact Michael Jordan at Michael.Jordan@sjsu.edu.