The Harry Potter literary universe offers a rich trove of unforgettable characters and captivating chronicles that can help us explore the ideas, applications and consequences of various ethical positions, and how they help us understand what it means to live a good life in a turbulent Muggle world. This class offers adult readers of the Harry Potter series an opportunity to explore the major ethical theories that philosophers use today to describe and explain human behavior, and to discuss their implications for ethical action in the world through a facilitated group setting. Theories of deontology, nihilism, utilitarianism, virtue, and subjectivism, and more, will be examined in the context of everyday concepts like authenticity, friendship, justice, and truth. This is the first of two parts, and will run for seven weeks on Sundays at 4pm (EST), beginning April 6, 2025, over Zoom. Sessions will be recorded, and participants will have the opportunity to interact and continue discussion through a secure online course community. The topics will run as follows:

Week 1 - Introduction: The World of Wizards Meets the Ethics of Muggles

Week 2 - The Quest for Justice: Hermione Granger & SPEW

Week 3 - The Ministry of Mediocrity: Dolores Umbridge & Cornelius Fudge

Week 4 - The Ethics of Friendship: Dumbledore's Army & the Houses of Hogwarts

Week 5 - The Ethics of Kinship: The Families of Black, Malfoy, & Weasley

Week 6 - The Ethics of Difference: Hagrid, Lupin, & Magical Creatures

Week 7 - The Ethics of Leadership: The Trials of Albus Dumbledore

NOTE: Upon purchase, customers will be emailed details on how to access their course. All major credit/debit cards are accepted, as well as PayPal/Venmo.