Ethics, as a field of study, is often overlooked when students consider their career paths. Some incoming students may see it as a subject better left to the philosophers who created and developed it. However, learning the principles of ethics and practicing its discussion doesn’t require one to devote their life to it. As many of us in Santa Fe’s Ethics club, myself included, have discovered, there’s much to gain from simply discussing the works of Aristotle and exploring hypotheticals. It develops a deeper understanding of our actions, our own guiding principles, and what makes us human.
But how did this club come to be? It started with Professor Ron Claypool, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Humanities, and Ethics at Santa Fe College. He encouraged incoming freshmen from his various classes to join and try out for an academic, team-based ethics discussion competition aptly named Ethics Bowl.
As the name suggests, Ethics Bowl is a collaborative competition in which students analyze complex, real-life ethical dilemmas and issues of contemporary concern. Unlike traditional debate, teams are not expected to defend a position at all costs. Instead, they work together to find the most reasonable and well-supported solutions, promoting civil discussion and critical thinking. Teams are scored based on their ability to structure a presentation, analyze the moral dimensions of a case, anticipate counterarguments, and engage in respectful dialogue about their reasoning. This encourages teams to consider the best course of action for a case rather than simply defend a predetermined position. Whether a team reaches a particular conclusion is less important than how thoughtfully and effectively it reasons through the case.
At the first interest meeting, Professor Claypool led a discussion using simple “would you rather” questions based on realistic situations that everyone could relate to. Many students participated in the initial meeting and stayed, intrigued by this different method of thinking they hadn’t previously encountered. Some were drawn by the prospect of competition; others simply by the desire to develop their reasoning and argument-development skills.
Once members decided whether they wanted to commit to competition, we began by learning the rules of the game. We then moved on to the basics of moral frameworks and the tools needed to apply them to structured arguments. This is where many of us developed an appreciation for ethical reasoning.
Although the work was demanding, it significantly strengthened our understanding of ethics and related topics. From then on, leading up to the competition, we met nearly every day of the week to discuss the facts of the cases and refine our presentations. It was a lot of work, but it was through this effort that our knowledge grew rapidly; not only in ethical inquiry, but also in statistics and global affairs that informed our arguments.
When the season concluded, many team members wanted to continue discussing ethical theories and developing their skills in preparation for the following year. Others wanted to focus on recruiting new members to replace those graduating before the next season. Many members found genuine enjoyment in studying and discussing ethical questions; we didn’t want to give that up for a year. As a result, we established a club that would continue what we had built and would allow us to open the conversation to the broader student body.
With that, the Santa Fe Ethics Club was born. We had to decide what direction we wanted to lead the club, since prospective members might have little to no prior exposure to moral philosophy or logical reasoning as a study. We decided to involve Professor Claypool as an informal guide, as none of us were confident enough in the concepts to teach them accurately to others. He would host monthly sessions, focusing on one ethical theory at a time. He was happy to oblige, as the sessions would not only give us a refresher but also gave him an opportunity to identify new potential members.
To fill the remaining meetings and provide variety, we invited guest speakers. One particularly memorable meeting, we brought in a public defender from the city’s courthouse. He took the time to speak about the moral dimensions of the justice system and offered a perspective on how ethical reasoning is applied in the real world. Other meetings involved reviewing the national competition cases posted by APPE, where club members discussed their perspectives and explored how different moral frameworks applied to each scenario. We also organized informal sessions using games and creative hypotheticals to make ethical discussion more engaging and accessible, reaching students who may never have considered moral philosophy as something relevant to themselves.
Many Ethics Bowl members found genuine enjoyment in studying and discussing ethical questions, and it was especially rewarding to create a free and open space that welcomed all perspectives. Hearing new viewpoints allowed us more experienced members to revisit familiar ideas in a new light.
Ultimately, we aim to continue our journey in competition while also making ethical and philosophical inquiry accessible to all students. Almost anyone, at any stage of life, can benefit from discussion and thinking about the world around them more critically. It develops skills that go beyond a college degree, and we hope to continue providing that opportunity.
Evan Daly
Evan Daly is currently a sophomore studying Environmental Engineering with an interest in Ethics and serving as the senator for Santa Fe Ethics Club in student government. He played a key role in the creation of the school's ethics club, helping secure funding to further the club's reach with the goal of making ethics accessible to everyone.
