The Center for Applied Ethics and Philosophy (CAEP) was established in April 2007. CAEP aims to promote the research and education of applied ethics and philosophy at Hokkaido University. Our principle areas of research and education also include problems concerning gender, sexuality, and life and death (thanatology). The center started as the first official institute for applied ethics at any Japanese national university and gradually expanded its scope to the research of gender/sexuality, applied philosophy, and thanatology as well.

We organize international conferences, symposia, workshops, and lecture series concerning all areas of our research and education. We especially make it a point to invite researchers from various institutions, domestic and abroad alike, to hold regular seminars on applied ethics and applied philosophy (Applied Ethics and Philosophy Seminar). Outreach activities are also important for us. Every year, we organize a public symposium open to general audience to discuss various themes about gender and sexuality. As of April 2018, we will also begin treatments of thanatology.

The center has also two academic journals: Journal of Applied Ethics and Philosophy (English journal) and Ōyō Rinri (meaning Applied Ethics, Japanese journal). These are our main vehicles to both communicate our research results, as well as convey top-level investigations from around the world on applied ethics and philosophy to a wider audience.

Another noteworthy activity of the center is to provide the Graduate Program in Applied Ethics (GPAE). This program provides Master’s and PhD students an education on contemporary perspectives of applied ethics. Students who finish this program receive a special diploma.

Our center seeks to promote discussions among scholars and citizens concerning applied ethics, applied philosophy, gender and sexuality, and thanatology. I hope that more and more people, both professional researchers and laypersons alike, will join our activities. Together, we can investigate what is better and more valuable for both human society and individuals in this rapidly changing world.

Shunichi MIYAJIMA
Director