The Center for Ethics
The Center for Ethics at the University of Zurich is a multi-faculty initiative which is unique in Switzerland. The Chairs in Ethics within the Faculties of Theology, Philosophy and Medicine are at the heart of the Center, which was founded in 1995. They are organised within the Institute of Social Ethics (Faculty of Theology), the Ethics Research Institute (Faculty of Philosophy) and the Institute of Biomedical Ethics and History of Medicine (Faculty of Medicine). More than 50 scientific members of staff are currently working in this environment, which boasts a good international network.
The Center for Ethics is the first institution of its kind in Switzerland. At the University of Zurich it is responsible for conducting and coordinating ethics teaching and research. Its successful projects include the Postgraduate Program Advanced Studies in Applied Ethics and 2005-2016 the University Research Program for Ethics was established at the Center for Ethics.
Research and teaching at the Center for Ethics are concerned, on the one hand, with basic reflection on issues of moral philosophy and theological ethics and, on the other hand, with current issues in applied ethics. In the area of applied ethics, research focuses on biomedical, political and environmental ethics. The most important cross-section themes are justice and human dignity. This interplay between basic reflection and applied ethics from the perspective of different disciplines is one of the specific competences of the Center for Ethics.
The ethicists from the Faculties of Theology and Philosophy work at the address Zollikerstrasse 117, while those from the Faculty of Medicine work at the address Winterthurerstrasse 30.