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What makes some actions right and some actions wrong, or maybe even evil? What is the good life? And what is the good society, and how can we create it?

Ethics, social and political philosophy addresses these inescapable theoretical and practical questions we ask ourselves as individuals and societies.

Explore the fundamental choices we make as part of our common lives together and better understand questions concerning the beautiful, the right, and the good, for individuals and for groups.

While informed by empirical findings, in ethical, social and political philosophy we reflect on our deepest convictions concerning the bases of right (and wrong) actions, individual freedom and responsibility versus collective goals and action, the treatment of minority groups, theories of criminal justice, conceptions and implementations of human rights, ideals of equality and fairness, and the role of government in setting and enforcing regimes for a good and just society.

Available units

Undergraduate

First year
PHIL104 Introduction to Ethics

Second year
PHIL200 Contemporary Moral Problems
PHIL201 Issues in Bioethics
PHIL202 Justice, Authority and Human Rights
PHIL209 Philosophy Film and the Arts
PHIL225 The Ground and Nature of Rights

Third year
PHIL320 Ethics, Justice and the Good Society

Postgraduate

PHIL511 Philosophy and the Moral Life
PHIL623 Healthcare Ethics: Principles in Practice
PHIL624 The Philosophy of Justice and Community
PHIL625 Virtue in the Ethical Life