Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl

Applied Ethics Debate Competition 

Ethics Bowl is a team-based intercollegiate debate competition covering a range of current events and controversies in applied ethics. Cal Poly sends one or two student teams each year to compete in the Regional Ethics Bowl competition held each December, where students debate and discuss cases with college teams from California, Utah and Arizona. The students’ oral arguments on each case are evaluated by a panel of judges for rigor, presentation, and depth of ethical analysis.

Success in Ethics Bowl competition requires students to apply their philosophical training to provide oral arguments on the spot about moral issues on topics ranging from fake news to privacy, gun control, autonomous cars and weapons, international relations and new medical technologies.  The team qualified for and was invited to compete in the 2017, 2018, and 2019 Ethics Bowl National Championships. Our students traveled to Dallas, TX in 2017, Chicago, IL in 2018, and Baltimore, MD in 2019 and competed against the top teams in the nation.

The Ethics Bowl team is coached by Jacob Sparks, Assistant Professor of Philosophy. New and returning students enroll in PHIL 385 in Fall quarter.

If you are interested in participating in or supporting our Ethics Bowl program, contact jasparks@calpoly.edu.