The IZEW is an interdisciplinary research institute for ethical question that arise in and through the sciences. At the IZEW, a program of “Ethics in the sciences” is pursued, placing the responsibility for approaching ethical questions within the sciences themselves. Ethics in the sciences, as developed at the IZEW, has proven to be practically successful in research, didactics and open communication, and is particularly suited to promoting dialog between natural sciences, humanities and social sciences regarding ethical questions.
For more than 25 years, the IZEW has expanded itself at the University of Tübingen to include a broad spectrum of ethical issues. Its particular interests facilitate collaboration between researchers beyond disciplinary boundaries and support new generations of scientists as they encounter ethics in the sciences.
Scientific research at the IZEW includes societal, cultural and technological transformations, nature and sustainable development, the utilization of modern security technologies as well as foundational questions of ethics in the sciences. Further points of focus are the transfer of results from research in ethics into areas of education as well as the coordination of research networks.
The IZEW is a hallmark of the University of Tübingen, with great national and international resonance. The IZEW produces a great number of publications on scientific questions, among which over 70 dissertations and post-doctoral theses can be found. The IZEW also has one of the largest scientific libraries in Europe.
Spokespersons for the IZEW are Prof. Dr. Regina Ammicht Quinn and Prof. Dr. Thomas Potthast.
