2025 Ethics Symposium Explores the Meaning and Value of Empathy
Steve Smith '92 (back left) and Associate Professor of Philosophy Amy McKiernan (right) flank the students who presented "lightning talks" at the symposium. Photo by Dan Loh.
This year’s theme was empathy, and Dickinsonians did a deep-dive
by Tony Moore
Last week, Dickinson was all about connecting, challenging and getting real. The annual Ethics Symposium, co-hosted by the Burgess Institute for the Global Economy and the Ethics Across Campus & the Curriculum program, took over the Stern Great Room the night of October 23.
The theme? Empathy. But the goal wasn't just a feel-good session; it was a call to action captured in the event poster, in a quote by poet and activist Andrea Gibson: "If you're going to be anything, you better be lightning. You better find something within you honest enough to strike them."
Striking the Conversation
The symposium featured a keynote from Steve Smith ’92, president and CEO of L.L.Bean and the current Burgess Institute for the Global Economy executive in residence. And while his top-line role is running a widely known business, he sees ethical considerations as underpinning that and any other leadership endeavor.
“For me, it’s really about leaders understanding their values,” he says. “I think for any leader to be effective—to lead a large group of people and to expect people to follow and listen—you have to be really clear about your values, and ethics gets into the overarching values. It’s about doing the right thing, about trying to understand how people are processing information. Good business doesn’t exist without an ethical background, without a background of integrity.”
Student Speakers Feed the Curiosity
The event was designed to jumpstart conversation, challenge assumptions and "create a culture of curiosity,” featuring a series of six student lightning talks—five-minute, thought-provoking presentations meant to cut through the noise of everyday life:
- In his “Empathy Is a Moral Necessity,” Graham Bucci ’26 (philosophy) suggested that having empathy is the only way to avoid steering toward immoral acts and safeguard against "false dichotomous thinking" and "moral purity.”
- Olivia Whittaker ’28 (philosophy) presented “(The Case Against) Empathy in Democracy,” urging the audience to consider cognitive empathy (rational assessment) over the potentially exhausting and biased nature of emotional empathy (mirroring feelings) in a governing context.
- Sophie Jones ’28 (Spanish & Portuguese studies) explored empathy and proximity, using the classic Trolley Problem to show that we tend to empathize more with people who are physically close to us.
- Max Carfrey ’26 (environmental studies) showcased how live theatre and empathy are linked, noting that the immersion allows for the "suspension of disbelief" and the experience of catharsis, which can shift perspectives on what we might normally identify with.
- Emery Hutchins ’27 (philosophy) tackled “Gender, Video Games & Fiction,” pointing out that while it’s intuitive to think violent video games might cause a loss of empathy, the data are conflicting, with many studies showing no large difference between exposed and non-exposed groups.
- Fern Beede ’26 (philosophy) wrapped up with “The Role of Empathy in Healthcare,” detailing how empathetic practices—like building trust and limiting blame—are crucial but are often challenged by structural barriers such as the focus on "quantity over quality of care" and limited provider facetime.
During his visit as the Burgess Institute's executive in residence, Steve Smith '92 met with students to discuss his career and his work as CEO of L.L. Bean. Bringing students together with successful alumni like this is one of the many ways the Burgess Institute helps students in all majors prepare for careers in business, finance and leadership.
The Takeaway?
Empathy is complex, crucial and definitely worth a deep dive.
As Associate Professor of Philosophy Amy McKiernan, director of Dickinson’s ethics initiative, explains, the event challenged the community to look past the easy "us versus them" framing that dominates today’s world. But she also stressed the importance of understanding that empathy doesn’t always—or often—mean agreement.
"We can empathize and understand each other even as we disagree,” she says. “In fact, this is crucial if we are committed to democratic pluralism and basic values like respect, curiosity and compassion in our community.”
TAKE THE NEXT STEPS
Published October 28, 2025