What is the role of philosophy and ethics?

My academic journey, which was not straightforward, made me reflect deeply on the role of philosophy and ethics—mainly in research, but also personally and for the public. When studying philosophy, I always deemed it a wonderfully fulfilling activity: being in dialogue with brilliant minds across centuries, engaging with other philosophers and people from different disciplines. It was a great journey of self-knowledge and exploration of all possible ideas and beliefs about life, science, and morality.

Philosophy, for me, was a way of cultivating reasonableness, the pursuit of truth and understanding, open-mindedness, epistemic humility and rationality. These might seem like buzzwords, but for me, they were embedded in my studies, at least the pursuit of them.

After my studies, however, I experiences how philosophy can be seen in a different light. As a philosopher and ethicist who has worked with companies, health researchers, data scientists, computer scientists, and social scientists, I experienced how philosophy and ethics can sometimes be perceived negatively. Often, there is a stereotypical understanding of these disciplines—but at times, the criticism struck a chord.

Philosophy is sometimes seen as too detached from actual research, too abstract, too arrogant, and unable to reach or influence people—whether researchers or the public. I also witnessed philosophers arguing merely for the sake of winning, lost in abstraction and their own egos.

Even though I believe being abstract and theoretical is valuable, this experience was so different from my own experience of philosophy—and from my ambition for how I wanted to do philosophy. It made me reflect on the role and limitations of philosophy and ethics, and what kind of philosopher and ethicist I want to be. This is a difficult question that requires continuous reflection, but here are the fruits of my thinking so far:

I want to practice a philosophy that is both deeply theoretical and practical. I want to bridge theory and praxis, bringing researchers from different disciplines together and connecting them more closely with the public.

I believe that theoretical analysis can be immensely practical - more than that, I believe that trans- and interdisciplinary research studies require theoretical methods. In line with Wittgenstein, philosophy can “tidy up the room”: it can clarify confusions and reveal conceptual structures. In research, it can reveal hidden theoretical assumptions; it can show how key concepts in a study need clearer definitions; such clarification can lead to better research questions or study design. Identifying conceptual contradictions or tensions can do the same.

In the end, tidying up the room means showing how things hang together and how sometimes they form knots that need to be untangled. This creates fertile conditions for understanding. I believe understanding, whether in the public sphere or among researchers, is inherently valuable.

I begun to develop this methodology during my PhD. I engaged in this kind of conceptual tidying. I believe ethical analysis first requires conceptual clarity. That’s why I aimed to clarify what is happening when conversational AI is used as a digital therapist - entering our deeply intimate human space. I examined concepts and how they change when transferred from humans to AI. Many conceptual and normative conflicts arise in this process. Without first clarifying and tidying up these issues, I argued, it is not fruitful to define the ethical challenges and requirements of conversational AI in psychotherapy and mental healthcare.

To bridge the theoretical with practical dimensions, I developed the following methodology:

I looked at specific use cases—Is conversational AI used by patients with depression who cannot access a therapist? Is it used by individuals seeking mental health information and support? The use case provides necessary contextual information so that the conceptual analysis is embedded in real-life conditions.

Then, I analyzed key concepts and the conditions that must be fulfilled to apply them. For example, what does it mean to be empathetic? What criteria must be met for this concept to apply to a person—or another entity? Usually, concepts have normative dimensions. In the case of empathy, a person or entity must possess at least a basic sense of responsibility. These normative conditions are directly tied to ethical requirements.

After this analysis, I talked domain experts to enrich it. Domain knowledge is essential to avoid making inaccurate or inadequate assumptions. It is also crucial for uncovering aspects hidden from me as a non-expert. Finally, I engaged with other key stakeholders, such as members of the public. This process is highly iterative.

What is the role of philosophy? I still believe in the values mentioned at the beginning. Philosophy is the pursuit of understanding, a way of thinking more clearly and acting more thoughtfully. It means being reasonable in our judgments, practicing epistemic humility, staying open to unfamiliar new ideas and disciplines, and cultivating the kind of rationality that helps us see the deeper structures of our own fields. These values are not abstract ideals: they are practical tools for navigating complexity, building dialogue, and shaping meaningful research.