Should we buy pets from breeders when there are so many abandoned animals needing homes? Can we be morally required to do things we are unlikely to achieve? Are cruises to at-risk habitats immoral, even if they also aim to educate consumers about the threats to that environment? These were just some of the important social and ethical questions which were discussed during The University of Liverpool’s regional tournament of The Ethics Cup.
Yet this was no ordinary debating competition. Teams were rewarded, not just for the clarity and persuasiveness of their argument, but for expressing their views with insightfulness, thoughtfulness and civility.
The event was hosted by the Philosophy Department on the 6th January, and our guests were students from seven secondary schools in the region, who competed by debating a wide-range of ethical and social issues. They also enjoyed a guest talk by PhD candidate Georgina Brighouse. After an excellent performance in the morning matches and their semi-final, Manchester High School for Girls was our winner, and they will be progressing to the finals at The University of St Andrews.
All the students did incredibly well. The timekeepers and judges were academic staff, Masters or PhD candidates from the philosophy department, and they were all really impressed with how the students conducted the debates, and with their careful consideration of the issues.
Thanks so much to the students and teachers from Cardinal Heenan High School, Carmel College, Gateacre School, Lostock Hall Academy, Manchester High School for Girls, Merchant Taylors’ School and Urmston Grammar School. You were all fantastic!