College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies
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Ethics Bowl

Ethics Bowl is team-based debate about today’s ethical dilemmas, encouraging civil discussion and respectful disagreement.

My students are always surprised and delighted to find that they CAN deal with controversy in a respectful and collaborative way. They gain confidence in their ability to form opinions about ethics in the real world. They feel better informed and ready for advocacy.

Lynne Lundberg, AP English Language and Composition Teacher at Pleasant Valley High School and Nationally Award-Winning Ethics Bowl Coach

A simple and powerful teaching tool

  • Generates simple and effective lesson plans
  • Provides high quality material focusing on fascinating real-world cases
  • Creates high-impact student experiences

  • Can the value of human relationships be realized in AI relationships?
  • What moral considerations should guide voting decisions?
  • How should ethical standards inform the selection of host countries for international sporting events?

  • Teaches argument construction and critical reasoning
  • Builds research and speaking skills
  • Promotes collaboration and teamwork

  • 95% of participants say that Ethics Bowl encourages engagement across political differences
  • 92% of participants say that Ethics Bowl fosters teamwork and collaboration
  • 99% of participants say that Ethics Bowl helps develop critical thinking skills

Ethics Bowl at Iowa State

  • Interdisciplinary Collegiate Team

    ISU undergraduates meet regularly to prepare to compete in regional and national competitions.

  • Leading Iowa High Schools

    ISU hosts the annual Iowa High School Ethics Bowl, the winner of which goes on to a regional and then national competition.

  • Expanding Opportunities

    Ethics Bowl is growing at ISU! Avenues for expansion include the National Bioethics Bowl, the Ethics in Engineering Competition, Ethics in Archeology Competition, and others!