Arthur Schafer

Arthur Schafer is a Full Professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Manitoba's Faculty of Arts and Founding Director of the Centre for Professional and Applied Ethics. He serves as a National Research Associate of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and previously held roles as ethics consultant for the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and Head of the Section of Bio-Medical Ethics in the Faculty of Medicine.

His academic credentials include a BLitt in Philosophy from the University of Oxford (1967) and a BA Honours from the University of Manitoba. His distinguished career spans over five decades of ethical scholarship and public engagement.

Professor Schafer specializes in professional and applied ethics with intensive focus on bioethics, research ethics, and biomedical conflicts of interest. His work critically examines medical assistance in dying, informed consent, clinical trial ethics, and human rights frameworks, establishing him as a leading voice in Canadian ethical discourse. His philosophical approach bridges theoretical rigor with practical policy applications across multiple professional domains.

Analysis of his 13 most recent publications reveals enduring engagement with evolving ethical challenges, particularly the tension between institutional interests and professional integrity. His scholarship demonstrates consistent progression from foundational ethical theory toward contemporary policy applications, with recent work heavily concentrated on medical assistance in dying and pharmaceutical industry influence in healthcare systems.

His scientific recognition includes:

• D. R. Campbell Outreach Award (1984)
• Olive Beatrice Stanton Award for Excellence in Teaching (1976)
• Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship (1964)
• Woodrow Wilson Fellowship (1964)
• Canada Council Fellow

As an active supervisor for Master's and PhD students, Schafer extends his mentorship through ethics consulting for professional associations in Medicine, Engineering, Architecture, Nursing, and Pharmacy. His policy impact is evidenced by service on the Provincial-Territorial Expert Panel on Medical Assistance in Dying and two published reports for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. His extensive media contributions—including hundreds of CBC appearances and newspaper columns—demonstrate exceptional public scholarship.

The Centre for Professional and Applied Ethics, which he founded, functions as a vital interdisciplinary hub connecting academic philosophy with real-world ethical challenges across healthcare, law, and public policy sectors, facilitating ongoing dialogue between scholars, practitioners, and community stakeholders.