Institute for Ethics & Society

PHD Scholarship in Ancient Philosophy, Virtue Ethics, or Virtue Epistemology

We are seeking applications from highly motivated candidates interested in pursuing a PhD under the supervision of Associate Professor David Bronstein, a Senior Research Fellow in the Institute for Ethics and Society (IES). The scholarship is funded by Assoc Prof Bronstein’s Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellowship project entitled ‘Virtue with Aristotle: Recovering an Ancient Ethical Theory for Our Time’ (FT220100615). Associate Professor Bronstein, an expert in Ancient Greek philosophy, is a member of the IES’ Moral Philosophy and Ethics Education research focus area.

The scholarship is $30,000 per annum, tax-free for three years, commencing in Semester 2, 2023 or Semester 1, 2024. Applications are sought in any of the project’s main research areas: Ancient Greek and/or Roman philosophy, especially ethics; contemporary virtue ethics; or contemporary virtue epistemology.

Please see the attached document for further details.

Professorial Research Fellow C. Stephen Evans Events

The IES was thrilled to host Professorial Research Fellow C. Stephen Evans​ who presented at a number of events throughout October and November 2022. These included the Notre Dame School for Virtue and Character, The 2022 Moral Philosophy & Ethics Education Annual Public Lecture on how accountability contributes to human flourishing, and a week-long Masterclass in Moral Philosophy on 'Accountability as a Virtue'.

Putting Accountability to work

How Accountability contributes to human flourishing
There is a great deal of talk about accountability in the contemporary world, but usually in the sense of holding someone accountable for bad behaviour through punishment or sanctions. However, those who embrace and welcome being accountable exhibit a virtue, an excellent and admirable quality that enhances human life in many ways. Though there has been little discussion of this, the evidence lies in plain sight in many areas: the business world, healthy churches with small group programs, 12-step groups, and even the criminal justice system. This public lecture explored some of the ways accountability as a virtue contributes to human flourishing.

Good Feelings: Virtues, Vices & the Emotions

How Accountability contributes to human flourishing
The Institute for Ethics & Society hosted the 2022 Notre Dame School of Virtue & Character. Held over two weeks, the third NDSVC allowed selected participants to engage with new research on the topic of cultivating good character. NDSVC featured six keynote sessions, each running for 1.5 hours. The sessions were structured around a pre-read paper and provided participants with the opportunity to engage directly with the speakers in a rigorous but friendly discussion of their work.

Accountability as a Virtue

Living Accountably Masterclass in Moral Philosophy
Over the course of four days, the class will explored the nature of accountability as a virtue, as well as some of the ways in which its cultivation can positively impact society. We examined the characteristics of the virtue itself, which is linked to the virtue the ancient Greeks described as justice. We explored questions such as: How might accountability impact human flourishing? To whom are we accountable? What is the role of accountability in the moral life generally? Can a secular morality make sense of accountability, or does it require the resources of religion? We will also examined the transformative power of accountability in relation to varied spheres of contemporary society, including business and non-profit organizations, 12-step programs that combat addictive behaviors, and the criminal justice system.

(BHE) Annual Lecture

Bioethics & Healthcare Ethics
The Institute for Ethics & Society (IES) annual 2022 BHE lecture was presented by Kenneth Pargament, a professor emeritus of psychology at Bowling Green State University and Adjunct Professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry at the Baylor College of Medicine who has published extensively on religion, spirituality, and health. The talk introduced the audience to the growing body of research and practice on spiritual struggles (i.e. tensions and conflicts about sacred matters within oneself, with other people, and with the supernatural). We were shown that spiritual struggles are not at all unusual, take a variety of forms, and hold important implications for health and well-being. More practically, the presentation considered how spiritual struggles can be assessed and addressed in healthcare. We discussed the importance of multidisciplinary cooperation and collaboration in working with spiritual struggles. A recording of the lecture is now available.