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Why do we draw the line between justice and cruelty, compassion and indifference, right and wrong? Who decides where that line is — and why?

This is a provocative short course that dives into the murky depths of moral philosophy, human psychology, and cultural norms. Rather than focusing on idealistic visions of morality, this course confronts the ethical questions we often avoid — the uncomfortable, the controversial, and the morally ambiguous.

From the moral status of serial killers to the ethics of eating our pets, from the accountability behind genocides to the role of the West in sustaining global inequality, you will explore the toughest ethical challenges of our time.
This course is not about comfort. It’s about clarity, courage, and complexity. Through debate, case studies, and philosophical analysis, we’ll examine the moral contradictions that shape our societies and reveal uncomfortable truths about ourselves.

Course dates and times

The time is the same for each of the dates, 6:00PM - 8:00PM

• 29th September
• 6th of October
• 13th of October
• 20th October

Location

MALT Room,

ÌìÌì³Ô¹Ï,
College Road,
Bangor
LL57 2DG

What will you study on this course?

By the end of this course, students will:

• Understand how ethical frameworks apply to real-world moral dilemmas.
• Analyze and critique arguments about moral responsibility and collective guilt.
• Explore cultural and psychological factors that influence moral judgment.
• Evaluate the ethical implications of everyday practices (e.g., eating animals).
• Reflect on their own moral intuitions and biases.

Modules /Week overview

Module 1 / week 1: What Makes a Being Morally Significant?

• Key Question: Do serial killers have moral status?
• Explore the philosophical concept of moral status
• Consider personhood, empathy, and moral worth
• Case studies: Ted Bundy, Anders Breivik, and others

Module 2 / week 2: Crimes of the Many — Who Is Guilty?

• Key Question: Who bears responsibility for genocide and ethnic cleansing?
• Examine theories of collective guilt, complicity, and accountability
• Explore post-WWII justice (Nuremberg Trials), the Rwandan genocide, and modern atrocities
• Debate individual vs systemic responsibility

Module 3 / week 3: The Ethics of the Edible

• Key Question: Is eating pets morally worse than eating farm animals?
• Contrast cultural norms surrounding food, pets, and animals
• Analyse ethical consistency and speciesism (Peter Singer, etc.)
• Discussion: If you wouldn’t eat your dog, why eat a cow?

Module 4 / week 4: Global Poverty and the Moral Burden of Privilege

• Key Question: Is the West morally guilty for global poverty and inequality?
• Examine colonialism, capitalism, and structural injustice
• Debate moral obligation vs historical causation

This Course is free.

To register for this course please click on the link below