Sages in Eastern and Western traditions hold that the “good life” is not necessarily the easy life, but the one lived according to universal ethical principles. In this course, we will think hard about this assertion, and consider some of the most fascinating – and challenging – issues of the human condition.

What makes a dilemma an ethical dilemma? Are all ethical principles relative, or are there some truly universal values? If there are, then how do we know what is right? Where does our own sense of ethics come from – parents, religion, reason, society, biology? Where ought it to come from? Is there a relation between our happiness and the ethical values we hold?

The emphasis will be on thinking through the ethical implications of everyday life, using philosophy, film, literature and current events to do so. We will conduct a virtual meeting on a weekly basis for these conversations and to build a shared understanding of the traditions we study and the community of learners in the course. Each student will be responsible for leading discussions during one of these virtual meetings. There will be 3 face-to-face meetings during the course— the first will take place in the first two weeks of the term; additional meeting dates and details will be announced as available.

About the Instructor

Hilary Schmitt – The Branson School
We face ethical dilemmas all the time (whether we realize it or not!) and becoming aware of the ethical dimensions in every day life is fascinating. Hilary Schmitt enjoys wrestling with the dilemmas students bring to the class and the way these conversations connect us to our shared humanity. Hilary is the Chair of the History Department at Branson where she has been teaching since 2004. When she is not teaching world history, coaching, and advising students, Hilary enjoys surfing and running cross country. Hilary earned her BA in History at Boston University and her Master of Social Science at Syracuse University. Hilary is fascinated by the ways that history and philosophy intersect with our everyday lives.