Welcome to the Center for Socially Engaged Philosophy!
Ideal philosophy has often been thought of as pure, detached, rational, and unsullied
by empirical methods. Increasingly, though, philosophers are abandoning pure reason
and intellectual puzzles to study the mess and confusion of the real world. This
movement is driven (at least in part) by philosophers who want to do work that matters
to human thriving. It is also driven by an increasing recognition that philosophy
must matter if it is to survive as a discipline.
Our mission is 1) to promote collaboration between philosophers, scientists, journalists and policy makers working for public good, 2) to increase the visibility of socially engaged philosophy within UCI Social Sciences, across campus, and more broadly, and 3) to guide graduate students in socially engaged philosophy.
The center focuses on a few key areas of research:- Scientific communities, proper functioning in science, science communication, and the science-society interface
- Misinformation, polarization, and conspiracy theories
- Democratic function in the age of AI and online media
- Justice and equity in a technologically changing world
Join us for talks, workshops, and group meetings!