Every year the Philosophy Department coordinates the selection and training of an Ethics Bowl Team that competes in a nationwide competition.
The first competition takes place at the state level at Marian College in Indianapolis.
Students prepare 15 cases in applied ethics and must answer questions about the morality of each case. Only six of the cases will be used in the regional ethics bowl, but students do not know which six.
In each round, the team who wins the initial coin toss decides which position to argue on the first case and the opposing team then must critique their argument. After that, the arguing team must rebutt the objections, and both sides must field questions from the judges. Judges rate performance based upon clarity, depth, focus and logic.
USI competes in the Central States Ethics Bowl against students from across the midwest including DePauw, Marian College, Wright State University, Northern Kentucky University, IUPUI, Valparaiso University, Butler University and others.
The winners of the regional ethics bowl may then go on to compete at the national ethics bowl.
