Academic Conference Information

Contents

The academic conference will combine plenary talks by nationally known speakers, sessions in a wide range of topics for academic papers to be read and discussed, and social interaction at meals at the Lyndon B. Johnson Library Auditorium and grounds. The conference will end with a festive meal at the Texas Memorial Museum followed by a panel discussion of the invited speakers.

Purpose

The purpose of The University of Texas Ethics Conference is to engage the academic and public communities in an increasing awareness of the need and resources for ethics instruction and ethical living in the complexities of our time. The academic conference on Friday, April 16, 2004, has the additional purpose to encourage and network faculty leaders in ethics instruction in higher education.

The Conference Focus

In the wake of a rash of ethics scandals, this conference will consider from a variety of perspectives the claims of universal values in guiding moral instruction. The three areas to be covered in the conference are:

• The Problem and the Challenge: The lack of coherent and observed societal ethics revealed by business and other scandals challenges our culture to consider the role of education in responding to the current ethics crisis.
• The Viability of Different Universal Theories: What sorts of claims and warrants can any system or any synthesis of systems posit for a set of universal principles to respond to the ethical demands of our times?
• Foundations of Ethical Pedagogy: Is an ethical pedagogy centered on universal principles possible in our age? What are the theoretical or practical constraints on such a project?

The Plenary Speakers and the Paper Sessions

The plenary speakers will offer their personal assessment of the state and effectiveness of higher education in affecting ethical actions of students, before and after graduation. Participants should be able to derive guidance in integrating ethical reasoning with course content. The plenary speakers will be brought back together at the end of the day to discuss their views of the plenary talks and of the day’s discussions and to answer questions from the audience.

The Call for Papers invites contributions addressing ethics education in engineering, bioethics, business, philosophy and the humanities, the social sciences (including race/gender/class studies), the media, law, religious studies, education, science, and university administration (including ethical issues in sports). Papers addressing either foundational perspectives or classroom experiences are welcome.

Speaker Biographies

Conference Schedule for Friday, April 16th

8:00		Registration
9:00		Welcome, Announcements, Introduction of Plenary Speakers
9:15		First plenary speaker, Aine Donovan, “Ethical Marginalia - How Educators Shape a Civic Vision”
10:15		Q&A
10:30		Break
10:45		Paper Sessions #1
12:00		Lunch for faculty in Sid Richardson Hall. Lunch for students in Bass Lecture Hall, with Peter Kreeft, Boston College, speaking.
1:00		Second Plenary Speaker, Dallas Willard, “Ethical Knowledge in the Academy before G. E. Moore”
2:00		Q&A
2:15		Break
2:30		Paper Sessions #2
3:45		Break
4:00		Third Plenary Speaker-David Novak, "Can there be Common Moral Norms in a Multi-Cultural Context?"
5:00		Q&A
5:15		Break
5:30		Reception, Texas Memorial Museum patio
6:15		Banquet and closing session with the panel of plenary speakers
8:45		Close of conference

Cost

Registration for the academic conference is $25 before April 2 with a faculty or staff ID from an institution of higher education, and $35 after April 2. Registration as an academic includes lunch and the banquet (first 200 to register). Students come free with an ID and get lunch.Public admission is $35 before April 2 and $45 after April 2 and includes lunch.

Conference sponsorship

The University of Texas Ethics Conference, which includes all conference events on April 15-17, 2004, is hosted by The University of Texas at Austin.

The sponsors of the Friday Conference are the Murchison Chair of Free Enterprise, Steve Nichols, Director, the College of Engineering; and The Center for Ethical Leadership, Howard Prince, Director, the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs; and the co-sponsor is The University of Texas Office of Graduate Studies. The Society on Social Implications of Technology of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is sponsoring two invited talks on engineering ethics.

The sponsor of the Saturday Conference is The Center for Ethical Leadership, Howard Prince, Director, the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs.

Co-sponsors for the entire conference are: the Center for Ethics and Leadership, Phillip Thompson, Director, St. Edward’s University; Concordia University at Austin; LeTourneau University in Austin, and Huston-Tillotson College. Conference planning comes from a committee of faculty and administrators from The University of Texas, St. Edward’s University, Huston-Tillotson College, LeTourneau University, and Concordia University, all in Austin, Texas; Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, and the Austin business community. This ad hoc committee wishes to acknowledge the contributions of the C. S. Lewis Foundation, a non-profit educational foundation in Redlands, CA., in organizing this conference.