Brighouse Among Four Elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Political Philosopher Harry Brighouse Leads WCER-Based Center for Ethics & Education
April 28, 2025 | By UW–Madison/WCER Communications
Mildred Fish Harnack Professor of Philosophy and Carol Dickson Bascom Professor of the Humanities Harry Brighouse
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences announced four UW–Madison faculty members have been elected to the national honorary society and research center, including political philosopher Harry Brighouse, director of the Center for Ethics & Education at the Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER).
The election recognizes the accomplishments of the UW–Madison scholars in their respective fields. They join nearly 250 other newly elected members across academia, the arts, industry, policy, research and science.
“These new members’ accomplishments speak volumes about the human capacity for discovery, creativity, leadership and persistence,” said Academy President Laurie L. Patton. “They are a stellar testament to the power of knowledge to broaden our horizons and deepen our understanding.”
Brighouse is the Mildred Fish Harnack Professor of Philosophy of Education and the Carol Dickson Bascom Professor of the Humanities in the Department of Philosophy. He is also an affiliate professor of educational policy studies. His research focuses on political philosophy, applied ethics, philosophy of education, and educational policy and practice.
His WCER-based project, the Center for Ethics & Education, collaborates with the UW–Madison Department of Philosophy, UW–Madison Department of Educational Policy Studies, and the Philosophy Department at the University of Illinois, Chicago.
The Center for Ethics & Education organizes conversations with philosophers, educators, and researchers, supporting work that brings the tools and perspectives of contemporary moral and political philosophy to bear on concrete problems of education practice and policy. The center also sponsors a graduate institute and produces a popular podcast, with audio interviews and study guides available for free download and intended for use in undergraduate and graduate education classes.
In addition to Brighouse, this year's UW–Madison inductees are social psychologist Patricia Devine, political scientist Lisa Martin, and cognitive neuroscientist Mark Seidenberg. Read the UW–Madison release for more about the inductees.
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences was founded in 1780 to
honor excellence in American scholarship and to serve the public good through
new ideas that address national and global challenges. Induction ceremonies for
new members will take place in October in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
