The Ohio State Ethics Bowl Team Travels to Regionals!
The Ohio State Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl Team traveled to Cincinnati, Ohio, on Saturday, December 6, to compete in the inaugural Ohio River Valley Regional Competition. Coaches Kathryn Joyce, Sally Moore, and Naomi Scheinerman guided two OSU teams that woke early and departed by 5:30 AM for the University of Cincinnati.
Throughout the day, OSU’s two teams competed against schools from the University of Toledo, the University of Michigan, the University of Indiana, Bloomington, Northern Kentucky University, and Macalester College—competition questions like the following shaped conversations and arguments throughout the day:
- On what grounds, if any, do we have a duty to prevent certain offenders from running for public office?
- Are incentives for organ donation, like reduced prison sentences, ethically justified?
- Under what circumstances, if any, is it morally acceptable for law enforcement to interfere with religious observance during the arrest and booking of an individual?
- Since scientific consensus on when the brain fully develops can change, how should research trends influence updates to punishments for crimes committed by young adults (18–25)?
This year, OSU’s teams finished 9th and 12th overall. The team plans to study the upcoming National Case to sharpen their moral reasoning and argumentation skills. They are also eager to collaborate with nearby universities for scrimmages and invitational tournaments during the off-season.