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Ted Lechterman

Postdoctoral Fellow, Stanford University

Since September 2016 I am a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University, splitting my time between the McCoy Family Center for Ethics in Society and the Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society. I received my Ph.D. in political theory from the Department of Politics at Princeton University in 2016. Born and raised north of New York City, I earned an A.B. in Government from Harvard College in 2008 and worked briefly in social advocacy before returning to academia.

I am currently working on a book manuscript on the relationship between philanthropy, as a social practice, and democracy, as a moral ideal. Philanthropy and democracy both provide mechanisms for shaping social outcomes, but in markedly different ways. Philanthropy confers social decision-making power on the basis of individual initiative and level of wealth. Democracy requires that social outcomes issue from collective decision-making processes that abstract from differences in wealth. Philanthropy and democracy would thus appear to be odd bed fellows in a political society. The book argues that in certain areas philanthropy can in fact be a more serious threat to the democratic ideal than we generally realize, while in others it can actually work to support democratic principles. These conclusions carry unique implications for both public policy and individual behavior.

Other research interests of mine include the relationship between property and democratic theory more broadly, and, at a more abstract level, the relevance of existing practices to normative theory-building.

Could AI replace politicians? A philosopher maps out three possible futures

Jan 14, 2025 05:55 am UTC| Insights & Views Technology

From business and public administration to daily life, artificial intelligence is reshaping the world and politics may be next. While the idea of AI politicians might make some people uneasy, survey results tell a...

What Jeff Bezos gets wrong (and right) with his populist philanthropy

Jun 27, 2017 02:47 am UTC| Insights & Views Life

Jeff Bezos, the worlds second-richest person, trails his peers when it comes to generosity. His familys donations to hospitals, museums and universities rarely make headlines, and he hasnt signed the Giving Pledge, a...

Economy

China's Tightened Export Controls Disrupt U.S. Tech Firms' Production Plans

China is intensifying scrutiny of exports by U.S. tech giants like Apple, Microsoft, and Dell, delaying their production shifts to Southeast Asia and India, according to Nikkei Asia. Since December, dual-use technology...

U.S. Stock Futures Rise Amid Tariff Speculation and Key Data Focus

U.S. stock index futures gained on Monday evening as reports eased fears of disruptive trade tariffs under President-elect Donald Trump. Bloomberg reported that his team may propose a gradual tariff increase of 2%-5%...

UBS Predicts Potential Fed Rate Cut Amid Strong US Economic Data

UBS strategists foresee the Federal Reserve implementing an additional 50 basis points (bps) rate cut later this year, despite persistent inflationary pressures. Last week, US stocks dipped as a robust December jobs report...

Cleantech Investments to Surpass Oil and Gas in 2025: Key Trends

SP Global Commodity Insights projects cleantech energy investments will reach $670 billion in 2025, surpassing oil and gas spending for the first time. Solar PV alone will comprise half of these investments, representing...

Global Markets React to Strong U.S. Jobs Data and Rising Yields

Global markets tumbled Monday following a robust U.S. jobs report that pushed Treasury yields to 14-month highs, challenging equity valuations as earnings season begins. European futures dipped, with EUROSTOXX 50 down 0.3%...

Politics

South Korea Faces Political Turmoil Amid Yoon's Impeachment Trial

South Koreas Constitutional Court adjourned the impeachment trial of suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol shortly after its opening session on Tuesday, as Yoon failed to attend. His lawyer stated that attempts to detain Yoon...

Jack Smith: Trump’s Criminal Effort to Overturn 2020 Election Revealed

A Department of Justice report revealed Special Counsel Jack Smith found President-elect Donald Trump engaged in an unprecedented effort to overturn his 2020 election defeat. The investigation, which scrutinized Trumps...

China Tightens Export Scrutiny, Disrupting U.S. Tech Giants' Production Shift

China has intensified customs checks on U.S. tech companies, including Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL), Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), and Dell (NYSE:DELL), delaying their efforts to relocate production to Southeast Asia and India,...

Trump to Meet Putin Quickly After Taking Office

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump announced plans to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin shortly after his inauguration next week. The meeting would mark the first interaction between the leaders since Russias invasion...

North Korea Fires Missiles Amid Rising Tensions Ahead of Trump’s Return

North Korea launched multiple short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast on Tuesday, South Koreas military reported. The missiles, fired from Kanggye, Jagang Province, near the Chinese border, traveled approximately...

Science

Bill Gates’ Shocking New Malaria Solution Unveiled as Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Turn Into Flying Vaccinators

In a groundbreaking and controversial move, researchers funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation at Leiden University Medical Center have developed a revolutionary approach to combat malaria. The team has created...

Explosive CIA Whistleblower Claims Havana Syndrome Victims Face Cancer, Dementia, and Government Betrayal

A former CIA operative has come forward with alarming allegations, claiming that victims of the mysterious Havana Syndrome are now battling devastating health issues, including cancer, dementia, and Parkinsons disease. The...

FDA Approval of Opdivo Injection Sparks Hope for Cancer Patients with Revolutionary Treatment Update

In a significant advancement for cancer care, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved an injectable version of Bristol Myers Squibbs blockbuster cancer drug Opdivo. Branded as Opdivo Qvantig, the new...

Public Health Experts Warn of ‘Quad-Demic’ as Flu, COVID, RSV, and Norovirus Threaten Winter Surge

Public health experts are raising alarms over a potential quad-demic this winter, with flu, COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and norovirus all expected to surge simultaneously. This unprecedented convergence of...

Philippines' 'Missile Acquisition' Plan Provokes China's 'Arms Race' Warning

The Philippines has announced plans to acquire the U.S.-developed Typhon missile system to bolster its maritime defense capabilities. This decision has elicited strong reactions from China, which warns that such a move...

Technology

Global Smartphone Market Sees Shifts as Chinese Brands Gain Ground

Smartphone shipments for Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Samsung (KS:005930) declined in Q4 as competition from Chinese companies like Xiaomi (OTC:XIACF) intensified, according to preliminary data from IDC. Despite a rebound in...

Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket Launch Delayed to Thursday

Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos rocket company, has rescheduled the inaugural launch of its New Glenn rocket to Thursday, Jan. 16. Originally set for Tuesday, the launch was delayed after a technical issue arose on Monday. The...

NVIDIA to Establish Asian Headquarters in Taiwan

NVIDIA Corporation will set up its Asian headquarters in Taipei, Taiwan, according to the Central News Agency (CNA). The tech giant plans to hire over 2,500 employees as part of the expansion, as confirmed by National...

NVIDIA to Establish Asian HQ and R&D Center in Taiwan

NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) is planning to set up its Asian headquarters in Taipei, Taiwan, according to the Central News Agency. The tech giant will reportedly hire over 2,500 staff as part of the move, as stated by...

EU Reassesses Big Tech Probes Under Digital Markets Act

The European Commission is reassessing its probes into major tech firms, including Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL), Meta (NASDAQ:META), and Alphabets (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Google, as reported by the Financial Times. This comes after the...