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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

U.S.-Iran War Talks Resume Amid Economic Pressure and Ceasefire Uncertainty

The Trump administration signaled cautious optimism Wednesday over ending its ongoing war with Iran, while simultaneously threatening tighter economic measures if Tehran refuses to cooperate at the negotiating table....

Asian Currencies Hold Steady Amid U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Hopes and Soft U.S. Inflation Data

Asian currencies traded within a narrow range on Wednesday as investors awaited further developments in U.S.-Iran ceasefire negotiations, while softer-than-expected U.S. inflation data offered modest relief to markets. The...

Gold Prices Ease From One-Month High Amid Iran Ceasefire Uncertainty

Gold prices slipped slightly from a one-month peak during Asian trading on Wednesday, with investors closely watching developments between the United States and Iran as a fragile ceasefire deadline approaches next week....

Strait of Hormuz Oil Shipments Resume Amid U.S.-Iran War Tensions

Global energy markets remain on edge as the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports continues to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint that normally handles roughly one-fifth of worldwide oil and gas...

Asian Stocks Rally on Tech Gains and U.S.-Iran Diplomacy Hopes

Asian equity markets extended their winning streak on Wednesday, buoyed by strong performances in technology stocks and growing optimism surrounding potential U.S.-Iran diplomatic talks. The positive momentum followed a...

Politics

DHS Shutdown Delays World Cup Security Planning Despite Full Funding Release

The U.S. government has successfully released all $625 million in federally approved security funding for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but an ongoing shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security continues to disrupt...

Brazil's Former Intelligence Chief Alexandre Ramagem Released from U.S. Immigration Custody

Paulo Figueiredo, a close ally of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro currently residing in the United States, confirmed on Wednesday that Alexandre Ramagem Brazils former intelligence chief has been released from...

Russia Unleashes Massive Drone and Missile Barrage on Ukraine, Killing Civilians

Russia launched one of its most intense aerial assaults on Ukraine in recent memory, deploying hundreds of drones and missiles over a 24-hour period that left civilians dead, residential buildings destroyed, and critical...

Justice Jackson Slams Supreme Court's Growing Use of Shadow Docket

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson has intensified her public criticism of the conservative-majority courts increasing reliance on its emergency docket a fast-track legal pathway that has repeatedly been used to...

Iran Offers Partial Strait of Hormuz Access Amid U.S. Peace Talks

A source briefed by Tehran told Reuters that Iran may be willing to allow vessels to navigate freely through the Omani side of the Strait of Hormuz as part of ongoing ceasefire negotiations with the United States. The...

Science

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

Technology

ASML Raises 2026 Revenue Outlook as AI Chip Demand Surges

ASML Holding N.V. lifted its full-year 2026 revenue forecast after the Dutch semiconductor equipment giant surpassed first-quarter profit and sales expectations. The results were fueled by accelerating AI-driven chip...

Federal Agencies Secretly Test Anthropic's AI Despite Trump Administration Ban

Despite a formal directive from President Donald Trump ordering federal agencies to stop using Anthropics artificial intelligence technology, multiple U.S. government bodies have been quietly evaluating the companys latest...

KKR's $820M Investment Fuels Samsung SDS AI Expansion, Sending Group Shares Soaring

Samsung Group stocks rallied sharply on Wednesday following KKRs announcement of a major strategic partnership with Samsung SDS, reigniting investor confidence in the conglomerates artificial intelligence and digital...

DEEPX Partners with Hyundai to Power Next-Gen AI Robots Ahead of IPO

South Korean AI chip startup DEEPX is deepening its collaboration with Hyundai Motor Group to build a cutting-edge computing platform for generative AI-powered robots. The initiative will be driven by the companys upcoming...

Anthropic Nears $800 Billion Valuation as Investor Confidence Surges

Anthropic, the artificial intelligence startup behind the Claude AI assistant, is reportedly fielding investment offers that could value the company at up to $800 billion. According to Business Insider, multiple venture...