Michael Vazquez
@mvazquez.bsky.social
philosopher at unc-chapel hill
Reposted by Michael Vazquez
“We got so lucky to follow such an inspiring group of students. Their journey is an excellent snapshot of how rewarding the ethics bowl experience can be.”
New Film Captures the Value and Excitement of Ethics Bowl - Daily Nous
The Bowl is a new documentary that follows a team of six girls and their teacher as they prepare for and compete in the National High School Ethics Bowl---and you may be able to arrange an interactive screening of it in your town. . Created by documentary filmmaker Eli Yetter-Bowman of Ethereal Films, The Bowl aims
dailynous.com
September 25, 2025 at 1:06 PM
“We got so lucky to follow such an inspiring group of students. Their journey is an excellent snapshot of how rewarding the ethics bowl experience can be.”
Reposted by Michael Vazquez
Should ideas be owned like physical objects, or are these property rights different? How can societies encourage innovation while making ideas accessible for the greater good? Watch this animated TED-Ed short examining philosophers’ perspectives on intellectual property rights through history
What’s an idea worth? How prominent thinkers have understood intellectual property | Aeon Videos
Should it be possible to own an idea? The debate around intellectual property has deep roots in the history of philosophy
buff.ly
August 6, 2025 at 10:19 AM
Should ideas be owned like physical objects, or are these property rights different? How can societies encourage innovation while making ideas accessible for the greater good? Watch this animated TED-Ed short examining philosophers’ perspectives on intellectual property rights through history
Reposted by Michael Vazquez
I had a great chat about how studying philosophy can make people better thinkers with @mvazquez.bsky.social, @markalfano.bsky.social, Deborah Mower, and Heather Battaly. Thanks to @apaphilosophy.bsky.social for hosting and making the recording available!
www.apaonline.org/mpage/benefi...
www.apaonline.org/mpage/benefi...
Benefits of Studying Philosophy | APA On DemandAPA Mission - The American Philosophical Association
To activate captions, click on the CC icon at the bottom of the video, then select English from the menu.
www.apaonline.org
August 29, 2025 at 3:40 PM
I had a great chat about how studying philosophy can make people better thinkers with @mvazquez.bsky.social, @markalfano.bsky.social, Deborah Mower, and Heather Battaly. Thanks to @apaphilosophy.bsky.social for hosting and making the recording available!
www.apaonline.org/mpage/benefi...
www.apaonline.org/mpage/benefi...
Reposted by Michael Vazquez
Turns out studying philosophy is actually valuable. Philosophy majors don’t just argue well, they actually become better thinkers and do better on tests.
Data from 600k students shows they outscore every other major on reasoning, curiosity and open-mindedness.
Data from 600k students shows they outscore every other major on reasoning, curiosity and open-mindedness.
Studying philosophy does make people better thinkers, according to new research on more than 600,000 college grads
Philosophers are fond of saying that their field boosts critical thinking. Two of them decided to put that claim to the test.
buff.ly
August 21, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Turns out studying philosophy is actually valuable. Philosophy majors don’t just argue well, they actually become better thinkers and do better on tests.
Data from 600k students shows they outscore every other major on reasoning, curiosity and open-mindedness.
Data from 600k students shows they outscore every other major on reasoning, curiosity and open-mindedness.
Reposted by Michael Vazquez
Are you a faculty member trying to convince university administrators that philosophy is important? Or a student wondering about the benefits of taking philosophy courses? Join us for “Benefits of Studying Philosophy” on August 27. Registration is open to all: www.apaonline.org/events/Event...
August 20, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Are you a faculty member trying to convince university administrators that philosophy is important? Or a student wondering about the benefits of taking philosophy courses? Join us for “Benefits of Studying Philosophy” on August 27. Registration is open to all: www.apaonline.org/events/Event...
Reposted by Michael Vazquez
We are excited to announce the 4th Annual Penn-Georgetown Digital Ethics Workshop, organized by Brian Berkey and myself. The conference will take place April 3-4, 2026, at Penn.
If you work on digital technology ethics, broadly construed, please consider submitting an abstract.
If you work on digital technology ethics, broadly construed, please consider submitting an abstract.
4th Annual Penn-Georgetown Digital Ethics Workshop
We invite submissions for the 4th Annual Penn-Georgetown Digital Ethics Workshop, to be held at the University on Pennsylvania on April 3rd-4th, 2026. Submissions in any area of digital ethics, broadl...
philevents.org
August 18, 2025 at 10:08 PM
We are excited to announce the 4th Annual Penn-Georgetown Digital Ethics Workshop, organized by Brian Berkey and myself. The conference will take place April 3-4, 2026, at Penn.
If you work on digital technology ethics, broadly construed, please consider submitting an abstract.
If you work on digital technology ethics, broadly construed, please consider submitting an abstract.
Reposted by Michael Vazquez
“When students realize their own humanity is at stake in their education, they are deeply invested in it.” bit.ly/457AAYZ
Opinion | Students Want the Liberal Arts. Administrators Are Ignoring Them.
Students want to study the humanities and liberal arts. But university administrators keep getting in the way.
bit.ly
July 17, 2025 at 1:05 PM
“When students realize their own humanity is at stake in their education, they are deeply invested in it.” bit.ly/457AAYZ
Reposted by Michael Vazquez
New research on the question of whether studying philosophy makes students better thinkers...
Studying Philosophy Makes People Better Thinkers: Further Data - Daily Nous
A new study "offers the strongest evidence to date that studying philosophy does indeed make people better thinkers." Readers may recall the previous research of Michael Prinzing (Baylor) & Michael Va...
dailynous.com
July 14, 2025 at 2:29 PM
New research on the question of whether studying philosophy makes students better thinkers...
Reposted by Michael Vazquez
Join us for an APA Live event:
The Benefits of Studying Philosophy
Wednesday, August 27, 2025
6 p.m Eastern / 3 p.m. Pacific
Register here: tinyurl.com/4773k45a
The Benefits of Studying Philosophy
Wednesday, August 27, 2025
6 p.m Eastern / 3 p.m. Pacific
Register here: tinyurl.com/4773k45a
American Philosophical Association
The panelists for this event are as follows:
www.apaonline.org
July 14, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Join us for an APA Live event:
The Benefits of Studying Philosophy
Wednesday, August 27, 2025
6 p.m Eastern / 3 p.m. Pacific
Register here: tinyurl.com/4773k45a
The Benefits of Studying Philosophy
Wednesday, August 27, 2025
6 p.m Eastern / 3 p.m. Pacific
Register here: tinyurl.com/4773k45a
Reposted by Michael Vazquez
@mvazquez.bsky.social and I analyzed data from over half a million college students, looking at tests of verbal, logical, and mathematical reasoning, plus self-report measures of valuable habits of mind (a mix of curiosity, open-mindedness, intellectual rigor, etc.)
2/4
2/4
Studying Philosophy Does Make People Better Thinkers | Journal of the American Philosophical Association | Cambridge Core
Studying Philosophy Does Make People Better Thinkers
doi.org
July 12, 2025 at 1:21 PM
@mvazquez.bsky.social and I analyzed data from over half a million college students, looking at tests of verbal, logical, and mathematical reasoning, plus self-report measures of valuable habits of mind (a mix of curiosity, open-mindedness, intellectual rigor, etc.)
2/4
2/4
Reposted by Michael Vazquez
Elizabeth D. Rockwell Center Prize for Best Article on Ethics, Leadership, and Public Policy, for paper published in print or online in the last three years.
uh.edu/hobby/edr-ce...
uh.edu/hobby/edr-ce...
Elizabeth D. Rockwell Center Prize for Best Article on Ethics, Leadership, and Public Policy | Hobby School of Public Affairs | University of Houston
Elizabeth D. Rockwell Center Prize for Best Article on Ethics, Leadership, and Public Policy
uh.edu
June 1, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Elizabeth D. Rockwell Center Prize for Best Article on Ethics, Leadership, and Public Policy, for paper published in print or online in the last three years.
uh.edu/hobby/edr-ce...
uh.edu/hobby/edr-ce...
What do we owe the dead?
In this new TED-Ed video, Sarah Stroud and I examine promises made to a dying spouse—and what moral philosophy says about keeping them: go.unc.edu/wishes
This is part of an ongoing partnership with TED-Ed to build educational resources in ethics: go.unc.edu/ted-ed
In this new TED-Ed video, Sarah Stroud and I examine promises made to a dying spouse—and what moral philosophy says about keeping them: go.unc.edu/wishes
This is part of an ongoing partnership with TED-Ed to build educational resources in ethics: go.unc.edu/ted-ed
The ethical dilemma of deathbed wishes - Sarah Stroud and Michael Vazquez
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
go.unc.edu
May 27, 2025 at 7:34 PM
What do we owe the dead?
In this new TED-Ed video, Sarah Stroud and I examine promises made to a dying spouse—and what moral philosophy says about keeping them: go.unc.edu/wishes
This is part of an ongoing partnership with TED-Ed to build educational resources in ethics: go.unc.edu/ted-ed
In this new TED-Ed video, Sarah Stroud and I examine promises made to a dying spouse—and what moral philosophy says about keeping them: go.unc.edu/wishes
This is part of an ongoing partnership with TED-Ed to build educational resources in ethics: go.unc.edu/ted-ed
Reposted by Michael Vazquez
On Saturday, K-12 educators from across the Triangle joined us on UNC's campus for "The Art of Inquiry: Promoting Responsible Belief in the Classroom." With guidance from @jeffgreene.bsky.social (UNC) and Paula McAvoy (NCState), participants learned strategies for fostering critical thinking...(1/2)
January 21, 2025 at 4:24 PM
On Saturday, K-12 educators from across the Triangle joined us on UNC's campus for "The Art of Inquiry: Promoting Responsible Belief in the Classroom." With guidance from @jeffgreene.bsky.social (UNC) and Paula McAvoy (NCState), participants learned strategies for fostering critical thinking...(1/2)
Reposted by Michael Vazquez
So fun talking to teachers about "Educating for Responsible Belief" at the “The Art of Inquiry: Promoting Responsible Belief in the Classroom” event hosted by the Applied Epistemology Project at UNC-CH (@unc-aep.bsky.social). Slides available if you're curious: https://buff.ly/4jeXJhr
January 18, 2025 at 5:38 PM
So fun talking to teachers about "Educating for Responsible Belief" at the “The Art of Inquiry: Promoting Responsible Belief in the Classroom” event hosted by the Applied Epistemology Project at UNC-CH (@unc-aep.bsky.social). Slides available if you're curious: https://buff.ly/4jeXJhr
Reposted by Michael Vazquez
Abstracts for the 2025 SPP at Cornell are due on January 24th!
December 30, 2024 at 4:24 PM
Abstracts for the 2025 SPP at Cornell are due on January 24th!
Reposted by Michael Vazquez
Excellent reporting on how the Cuban govt military dept GAESA has billions that could be used for urgent aid but is instead being used (through GAESA owned Almest and Gaviota) to invest in tourism. Crony communist corruption, not egalitarianism, rules the island.
www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-...
www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-...
Leaked documents show Cuban military sitting on billions of dollars amid humanitarian crisis
Internal documents show how much the Cuban military has diverted resources to build hotels.
www.miamiherald.com
December 30, 2024 at 3:30 PM
Excellent reporting on how the Cuban govt military dept GAESA has billions that could be used for urgent aid but is instead being used (through GAESA owned Almest and Gaviota) to invest in tourism. Crony communist corruption, not egalitarianism, rules the island.
www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-...
www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-...
Reposted by Michael Vazquez
Them “It’s all a bit academic really.”
Me (in my head) “You’re right, it’s so important we need to concentrate efforts to study it!”
Me (in my head) “You’re right, it’s so important we need to concentrate efforts to study it!”
December 17, 2024 at 8:04 AM
Them “It’s all a bit academic really.”
Me (in my head) “You’re right, it’s so important we need to concentrate efforts to study it!”
Me (in my head) “You’re right, it’s so important we need to concentrate efforts to study it!”
Reposted by Michael Vazquez
If you’ve read Nudge you don’t make a New Year’s Resolution. You make a New Year’s Adjustment to Your Choice Architecture.
November 27, 2024 at 7:00 AM
If you’ve read Nudge you don’t make a New Year’s Resolution. You make a New Year’s Adjustment to Your Choice Architecture.
Reposted by Michael Vazquez
The SPP can for papers is out. The Society for Philosophy and Psychology (SPP) invites submissions of papers to be presented at its 51st Annual Meeting, to be held June 19-21, 2025 at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY.
Please submit an abstract by January 24, 2025 at 11:59pm EST.
Please submit an abstract by January 24, 2025 at 11:59pm EST.
November 19, 2024 at 7:51 PM
The SPP can for papers is out. The Society for Philosophy and Psychology (SPP) invites submissions of papers to be presented at its 51st Annual Meeting, to be held June 19-21, 2025 at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY.
Please submit an abstract by January 24, 2025 at 11:59pm EST.
Please submit an abstract by January 24, 2025 at 11:59pm EST.
Would you trade some privacy for safer roads? Sarah Stroud and I explore this question in a new TED-Ed video!
Watch here: go.unc.edu/privacy
And check out our growing library of ethics content: parrcenter.unc.edu/ted-ed
Watch here: go.unc.edu/privacy
And check out our growing library of ethics content: parrcenter.unc.edu/ted-ed
November 16, 2024 at 6:13 PM
Would you trade some privacy for safer roads? Sarah Stroud and I explore this question in a new TED-Ed video!
Watch here: go.unc.edu/privacy
And check out our growing library of ethics content: parrcenter.unc.edu/ted-ed
Watch here: go.unc.edu/privacy
And check out our growing library of ethics content: parrcenter.unc.edu/ted-ed
Reposted by Michael Vazquez
2025 Request for Proposals: Building Capacity and Community at U.S. Colleges and Universities
The Program for Leadership and Character at Wake Forest has announced another round of funding with grants for individuals and institutions. Check out:
leadershipandcharacter.wfu.edu/eci/grants/
The Program for Leadership and Character at Wake Forest has announced another round of funding with grants for individuals and institutions. Check out:
leadershipandcharacter.wfu.edu/eci/grants/
Educating Character Initiative Grants - The Program for Leadership and Character
2025 Request for Proposals: Building Capacity and Community at U.S. Colleges and Universities In 2025, the Educating Character Initiative intends to award grants to both individuals and institutions, ...
leadershipandcharacter.wfu.edu
November 16, 2024 at 2:37 AM
2025 Request for Proposals: Building Capacity and Community at U.S. Colleges and Universities
The Program for Leadership and Character at Wake Forest has announced another round of funding with grants for individuals and institutions. Check out:
leadershipandcharacter.wfu.edu/eci/grants/
The Program for Leadership and Character at Wake Forest has announced another round of funding with grants for individuals and institutions. Check out:
leadershipandcharacter.wfu.edu/eci/grants/
Reposted by Michael Vazquez
Excited for this year's colab on Euripides' Alcestis with Michael Vazquez (@mvazquez.bsky.social), Kari Lindquist, and other ultra-talented and inspiring individuals parrcenter.unc.edu/alcestis/ Alcestis is a peculiar play, and one that is peculiarly timely in 2024. Please spread the word!
Greek Tragedy in the Community | Parr Center for Ethics
parrcenter.unc.edu
February 21, 2024 at 3:05 PM
Excited for this year's colab on Euripides' Alcestis with Michael Vazquez (@mvazquez.bsky.social), Kari Lindquist, and other ultra-talented and inspiring individuals parrcenter.unc.edu/alcestis/ Alcestis is a peculiar play, and one that is peculiarly timely in 2024. Please spread the word!
Reposted by Michael Vazquez
Colleges have fled standardized tests, on the theory that they hurt diversity. That’s not what the research shows.
“Once we brought the test requirement back, we admitted the most diverse class that we ever had in our history,”
www.nytimes.com/2024/01/07/b...
“Once we brought the test requirement back, we admitted the most diverse class that we ever had in our history,”
www.nytimes.com/2024/01/07/b...
January 7, 2024 at 10:43 PM
Colleges have fled standardized tests, on the theory that they hurt diversity. That’s not what the research shows.
“Once we brought the test requirement back, we admitted the most diverse class that we ever had in our history,”
www.nytimes.com/2024/01/07/b...
“Once we brought the test requirement back, we admitted the most diverse class that we ever had in our history,”
www.nytimes.com/2024/01/07/b...
Reposted by Michael Vazquez
Michael Prinzing and Michael Vazquez (@mvazquez.bsky.social) preprint: "Does Studying Philosophy Make People Better Thinkers." A wide ranging review of empirical work plus new research of their own. Some suggestive results but more research needed. Really interesting! #philsky
Michael Prinzing & Michael Vazquez, Does Studying Philosophy Make People Better Thinkers? - PhilPape...
Philosophers often claim that doing philosophy makes people better thinkers. But what evidence is there for this empirical claim? This paper reviews extant evidence and presents some novel findings. W...
philpapers.org
December 21, 2023 at 4:22 PM
Michael Prinzing and Michael Vazquez (@mvazquez.bsky.social) preprint: "Does Studying Philosophy Make People Better Thinkers." A wide ranging review of empirical work plus new research of their own. Some suggestive results but more research needed. Really interesting! #philsky
What makes life worth living? Would you choose extinction or posterity without culture & meaning?
UNC philosopher Doug MacLean invites us to ponder these questions in our latest installment of the Parr Center + TED-Ed Ethical Dilemma series.
Check it out!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aEQ...
UNC philosopher Doug MacLean invites us to ponder these questions in our latest installment of the Parr Center + TED-Ed Ethical Dilemma series.
Check it out!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aEQ...
Ethical dilemma: What makes life worth living? - Douglas MacLean
Puzzle through a classic ethical dilemma and decide: can human existence be meaningful without its creativity and culture? --Life on your planet depends enti...
www.youtube.com
October 4, 2023 at 2:13 AM
What makes life worth living? Would you choose extinction or posterity without culture & meaning?
UNC philosopher Doug MacLean invites us to ponder these questions in our latest installment of the Parr Center + TED-Ed Ethical Dilemma series.
Check it out!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aEQ...
UNC philosopher Doug MacLean invites us to ponder these questions in our latest installment of the Parr Center + TED-Ed Ethical Dilemma series.
Check it out!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aEQ...