UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s Rock Ethics Institute will kick off its 2023 Expanding Empathy Speaker Series with the first of four spring discussions on Friday, March 24.
The Expanding Empathy Speaker Series, now in its fifth year, brings together philosophers and psychologists from around the world to discuss empathy and moral decision making from different perspectives.
“The intent is not to just have abstract, philosophical presentations,” said Daryl Cameron, Penn State associate professor of psychology, senior researcher in the Rock Ethics Institute, and convener of the series. “Instead, we hope the series prompts discussions that have direct, practical relevance to multiple audiences on a variety of topics.”
Shifting the series to a virtual platform in March 2020 has amplified the organizers’ capacity to invite more international scholars to engage in the series. “Pivoting to Zoom actually showed us the full scope of what was possible,” Cameron said. “We quickly realized how much we could broaden the reach of the series and strengthen the impact of what we’re trying to accomplish in the institute.”
Topics and dates/times for the 2023 series are as follows:
- March 24 (11 a.m.) – Empathy for Animals
- April 3 (Noon) – Empathy, Effort, and Common Ground
- April 12 (1 p.m.) – Moral Learning
- April 19 (12:30 p.m) – Ways to Channel Empathy
Registration and speaker information for every presentation can be found on the Rock Ethics Institute’s Expanding Empathy Speaker Series webpage or by accessing any of the specific presentations’ webpages.
Martina Orlandi, assistant professor of philosophy at Trent University and a former postdoctoral scholar in engaged ethics in the Rock Ethics Institute, will again serve as co-convener for the Expanding Empathy Speaker Series. The series is supported by the institute’s Moral Agency and Moral Development Initiative along with Penn State’s Department of Psychology and Department of Philosophy.
Established in 2001 through the support of Doug and Julie Rock, the Rock Ethics Institute promotes engaged ethics research and ethical leadership from its home in Penn State’s College of the Liberal Arts.