War, global instability, and inequality. Terrorism, migration, and fascism. The rise of AI and climate change—these issues shape the contemporary political and ethical landscape and urge us to examine them carefully in order to navigate our world.

This course explores the idea of ethical behaviour and the ethical self in the twenty-first century. The seminar confronts students with a variety of themes by introducing ideas from Western and Eurasian thinkers that illuminate key questions, emphasising how to think about them. Students will be encouraged to see ethical answers in the ‘poly-crisis’ of modern life and to develop fundamental skills, such as critical thinking. Ultimately, the course is aimed at those wishing to live well and in accordance with philosophical and ethical systems that seek to provide meaningful solutions.

The seminar will explore political and ethical issues through the work of individuals such as Byung-Chul Han, Thomas Hobbes, Immanuel Kant, Aristotle, St Augustine, John Stuart Mill, Mary Wollstonecraft, Hannah Arendt, and others. The course will be conducted through discussion and writing and will benefit students in their own lives by adding an awareness of contrasting moral and political outlooks to their understanding of history and modern-day society.