Established in 2014, our Ethics Bowl team provides a great opportunity for students to engage against collegiate teams from around the country on a series of cases concerning such topics as capital punishment, gun laws, animal rights, climate change, mass imprisonment, and migration, to name a few. 

By participating in our Ethics Bowl, you’ll make friends and challenge your own ideas – all while developing worthwhile skills such as understanding diverse perspectives, analyzing arguments, public speaking, and persuading your peers on issues of great importance. No prior experience is required. 

Here is what some of our students are saying about their Ethics Bowl experiences: 

• "I loved being on the ethics bowl team. I learned certain skills that everyone needs in the real world. I learned how to dissect arguments, analyze minute details and think on my feet. As a future lawyer this team was immensely helpful, I was able to grow confidence while speaking that I did not have before and think about arguments that had never occurred to me."

• "[T]here's no need to be a philosophy major to have a lot of fun. And would make a point for kids to know that when philosophers get together, things get crazy! I definitely learned a lot from this experience!"

• "The Ethics Bowl is about applying theory into practice. I think that it's a great way to apply all of the theoretical frameworks we learn in class, and also helps me better understand these theories when they are applied in a real situation.  Ethics Bowl is a great way to learn more about ethics and how important philosophy is!"

• "I had a really great time at the Ethics Bowl competition and I would strongly encourage everybody to join the Loyola Ethics Bowl, especially if you are the type to want to get involved on campus. It was a great experience and as a senior, I wish I would have joined sooner."

• "It was also a bonus that I made some great friends and that Dr. Kahn and Dr. MacClellan are some of the kindest and helpful professors at Loyno (they can also be quite fun!). I can't leave out the fact that we were able to travel and have a lot of fun along the way. All in all I would recommend this experience to everyone and anyone!"

• "I thoroughly enjoyed my experience with the ethics bowl this past fall. My teammates were all very nice, and I feel like I gained some wisdom from the experience."

For more informa­tion, please contact Dr. Joel MacClellan in the Philosophy Department. You can also follow us on social media.