Ethics Bowl
Encyclopedia
The Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl is an activity that combines the excitement of a competitive tournament with a valuable education experience for undergraduate students. Created in 1993 at the Illinois Institute of Technology
, the Ethics Bowl has grown steadily over the past few years. Resembling a college bowl
or quiz bowl competition, a moderator asks two teams questions that pose an ethical problem on topics ranging from professional ethics to social and political topics, and are than scored by a panel of judges on their responses both to the question and one another. Since 1997, the national Ethics Bowl Competition has taken place every year at the annual meeting of the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics. For the past three years ten regional bowls have taken place throughout the U.S. with over 100 teams competing in 2008. The top thirty-two teams are then invited to participate in the national competition. Along with the Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl for undergraduates, a number of other ethics bowl competitions are held, including ones sponsored by the Society for American Archeology, and a competition for high school students sponsored by the University of Baltimore.
In the round, both teams are asked questions about different case studies. The team answers questions in the following way. First, the moderator poses a question to the team, and after one minute to confer, the team must state their answer. The responding team then has one minute to present a response to the first team's answer, and the first team then has a chance to respond to these comments. Finally, the panel of judges has the chance to ask questions of the first team, either to clarify a point, or to elicit a team's viewpoint on an ethically aspect raised in their response. The judges then proceed to evaluate the first teams' response and the second team's comment based on the following criteria, 1) clarity and intelligibility, focus on ethically relevant factors, avoidance of ethical irrelevance, and deliberative thoughtfulness. The round then repeats this format with the second team receiving a question about a different case.
In the national competition of the Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl, each team competes in three morning rounds against different teams. The top eight teams continue on to the evening quarter finals, semi finals, and finally the final round where the two top teams compete to determine the winner.
, Loyola University
, and Western Michigan University
were invited to compete against the winning IIT from that year's competition. In 1996, the same four schools participated in the local competition, along with a team from the United States Air Force Academy
.
The first nationwide Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl was held in 1997 in Washington, D.C. in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics. Since that time, the Ethics Bowl has taken place at the APPE annual meeting every year. The United States Military Academy competed in and won the National Championship in 1998 and 1999. In 2006, due to the number of teams wishing to participate in the Ethics Bowl, regional competitions were held at locations throughout the U.S., and the top-scoring 32 teams were invited to participate in the national competition held in February, 2007.
In 2007, the University of Miami beat Westminster College to win the national championship.
In 2008 in San Antonio, Texas, Clemson University beat Westminster College in the final round to be national champion.
Since 2009, all national championships have been held in Cincinnati, Ohio, which will also hold the 2011 competition.
In 2009, Indiana University beat Clemson University for the national title.
In 2010, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) beat Weber State University to win the national championship.
In 2011, the University of Central Florida beat Montana State to be this year’s national champion.
Illinois Institute of Technology
Illinois Institute of Technology, commonly called Illinois Tech or IIT, is a private Ph.D.-granting university located in Chicago, Illinois, with programs in engineering, science, psychology, architecture, business, communications, industrial technology, information technology, design, and law...
, the Ethics Bowl has grown steadily over the past few years. Resembling a college bowl
College Bowl
College Bowl was a format of college-level quizbowl run and operated by College Bowl Company, Incorporated. It had a format similar to the current NAQT format. College Bowl first aired on US radio stations in 1953, and aired on US television from 1959 to 1970...
or quiz bowl competition, a moderator asks two teams questions that pose an ethical problem on topics ranging from professional ethics to social and political topics, and are than scored by a panel of judges on their responses both to the question and one another. Since 1997, the national Ethics Bowl Competition has taken place every year at the annual meeting of the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics. For the past three years ten regional bowls have taken place throughout the U.S. with over 100 teams competing in 2008. The top thirty-two teams are then invited to participate in the national competition. Along with the Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl for undergraduates, a number of other ethics bowl competitions are held, including ones sponsored by the Society for American Archeology, and a competition for high school students sponsored by the University of Baltimore.
How Ethics Bowl is played
A round of an Ethics Bowl competition follows this general format. Four to six weeks before the date of the competition, the competing teams, judges, and moderators are given a packet of case studies that present ethical issues to study. The goal for the teams is not to do research on the cases, but to be able to formulate well structured, logical answers to questions asked about the cases.In the round, both teams are asked questions about different case studies. The team answers questions in the following way. First, the moderator poses a question to the team, and after one minute to confer, the team must state their answer. The responding team then has one minute to present a response to the first team's answer, and the first team then has a chance to respond to these comments. Finally, the panel of judges has the chance to ask questions of the first team, either to clarify a point, or to elicit a team's viewpoint on an ethically aspect raised in their response. The judges then proceed to evaluate the first teams' response and the second team's comment based on the following criteria, 1) clarity and intelligibility, focus on ethically relevant factors, avoidance of ethical irrelevance, and deliberative thoughtfulness. The round then repeats this format with the second team receiving a question about a different case.
In the national competition of the Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl, each team competes in three morning rounds against different teams. The top eight teams continue on to the evening quarter finals, semi finals, and finally the final round where the two top teams compete to determine the winner.
History
The Ethics Bowl was developed in 1993 by Dr. Robert Ladenson of the Illinois Institute of Technology. An intramural Ethics Bowl was held at IIT for two years, and in 1995 a small local competition was held where teams from DePaul UniversityDePaul University
DePaul University is a private institution of higher education and research in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th century French priest Saint Vincent de Paul...
, Loyola University
Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Chicago is a private Jesuit research university located in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1870 under the title St...
, and Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045....
were invited to compete against the winning IIT from that year's competition. In 1996, the same four schools participated in the local competition, along with a team from the United States Air Force Academy
United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...
.
The first nationwide Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl was held in 1997 in Washington, D.C. in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics. Since that time, the Ethics Bowl has taken place at the APPE annual meeting every year. The United States Military Academy competed in and won the National Championship in 1998 and 1999. In 2006, due to the number of teams wishing to participate in the Ethics Bowl, regional competitions were held at locations throughout the U.S., and the top-scoring 32 teams were invited to participate in the national competition held in February, 2007.
In 2007, the University of Miami beat Westminster College to win the national championship.
In 2008 in San Antonio, Texas, Clemson University beat Westminster College in the final round to be national champion.
Since 2009, all national championships have been held in Cincinnati, Ohio, which will also hold the 2011 competition.
In 2009, Indiana University beat Clemson University for the national title.
In 2010, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) beat Weber State University to win the national championship.
In 2011, the University of Central Florida beat Montana State to be this year’s national champion.