The Murder of Botham Jean and the Ethics of Forgiveness
Much has been made of Brandt Jean's forgiveness of Amber Guyger. Under what conditions might forgiveness ever be inappropriate?
On the Legitimacy of Moral Advice from the Internet
Seeking out moral advice from, and offering moral advice to, strangers in a public forum is nothing new. What has changed are the qualifications to claim moral expertise.
Natural Law Theory and Human Rights Advocacy
How should we understand the relation between law and morality? And what might this answer mean for human rights?
Iris Murdoch and the Moral Dimensions of Literature
Is morality to be found in abstracted and universalizable concepts and theories, or in the subjective, situatedness of characters rooted in their earthly contexts? What can literature tell us about our moral universe?
Disagreements in Ethical Reasoning: Opinion and Inquiry
Disagreement about our moral duties and obligations is inevitable. But this does not show that morality is a matter of opinion or that ethics is subjective.
Should We Celebrate the Death of an Enemy?
What are our responsibilities to those who have caused harm? What are and are not appropriate responses to a fallen foe?
Determinism and Punishment
Should it be revealed that our actions are not as autonomous as we assume them to be, how might this impact our conception of punishment and desert?
The Free-Speech Defense and a Defense of Free Speech
Mill endorsed free and open debate as a machine capable of refining and reinforcing truth. There were, however, limits. On his view, political correctness is not a restriction of free speech but a basic tenet.
Population Growth and Anti-Natalist Philosophy
Arguments regarding the immorality of procreation are on the rise given concerns of overpopulation and humans' contribution to climate change.
Moral and Existential Lessons from “Chernobyl”
The miniseries takes up a number of philosophical themes (e.g., what it means to know, the nature of authority, the virtue of humility), but chief among these is our existential confrontation with the Absurd.