Be Better Club - Themed Ethics Discussions

The Be Better Club is an informal discussion group where people across the university and beyond meet to discuss contemporary ethical issues. You can see recordings of past meetings via this link!

Join with the Zoom Link:

Discussions are held by Zoom and are open to everyone. Join us at https://ucf.zoom.us/j/92690949924 

Code: 593463

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Schedule for Fall 2024

August 28 12:00pm Eastern

Egalitarian and Libertarian Political Philosophy

How do equality and liberty relate? Is one of these values more or less central to justice? What is freedom? In today’s discussion we’ll consider two of the basic ideological orientations to many of the political questions of our time, namely, egalitarian and libertarian political theories. These political ideologies and their approaches to politics will help us better understand and engage with the political issues we’ll be discussing this term.

Video: Ethics Matters, Episode 3 – “Our Society.” 12 minutes. https://ethicsmatterstvseries.com/03our-society/

 

September 11th 12:00pm Eastern

Political Equality and Elites

What is political equality? How do we realize it? How important is it to realizing a genuinely democratic society? In this discussion we’ll consider whether the extraordinary power and influence of figures like Elon Musk undermines the justice of a political society.

Podcast: Philosophy Talk, “What is Political Inequality?” (August 14, 2022) 51 minutes.

https://www.philosophytalk.org/shows/what-political-inequality

Note: you can sign up for an account for free (without a credit card) to gain access to this episode.

 

September 25 12:00pm Eastern

One Person, One Vote and the Idea of Majority Rule

Is realizing the idea of ‘one person, one vote’ a simple means of securing democracy? Is this idea of majority rule a necessity for a democratic system? Do issues like gerrymandering, voter purging, senate representation undermine democracy? Is the electoral college undemocratic because it allows the president to lose the popular vote – most recently George Bush (2000) and Donald Trump (2016)?

Podcast: Philosophy Talk (July 2, 2023 {originally Jan. 17, 2021}): “Democracy by the Numbers” 50 minutes.https://www.philosophytalk.org/shows/democracy-numbers

 

October 16 12:00pm Eastern [Rescheduled from Oct 9]

Democracy at Work – Economic Democracy

Democracy as an idea has often focused on the government of the city, state, or nation. However, some proponents of democracy have a wider set of situations in mind and advocate for ‘cooperatives’ in a variety of forms. Should there be more democracy at work? Does justice demand workers have a say in the companies where they work? Are worker cooperatives a natural extension of or bedrock to realizing democracy?

Podcast: Upstream: Documentary #8: Worker Cooperatives Pt. 1 – Widening Spheres of Democracy (April 2018) 58 Minutes https://www.upstreampodcast.org/workercoops1

 

October 30 12:00pm Eastern

Democracy and the Ignorant Voter: Possible Solutions

One sometimes hears the claim that too many stupid people are voting for stupid things and that’s why we face so many political problems. In this episode of Hi-Phi Nation the hosts explore two proposed fixes to democracy. The first mandates voting to diminish the power of the ignorant while the second disenfranchises the misinformed voter. Might either be a solution to some of our ills?

Podcast: Hi-Phi Nation, Season 3, Episode 5: “Demons of Democracy” (April 13, 2019). 54 minutes.https://hiphination.org/season-3-episodes/s3-episode-5-demons-of-democracy/

 

November 13 12:00pm Eastern

Protest and (Un)Civil Disobedience

The election is over and it’s possible your preferred candidate lost. This possibility raises the question of what legitimate recourse to protect and disobedience might we have in a democratic society? Today’s discussion centers animal rights advocates in Australia but our preferred issue might be submitted instead. Can breaking the law in a democratic society be just or is it a violation of democratic values?

Podcast: Hi-Phi Nation, Season 3, Episode 8: “Uncivil Disobedience” (May 25, 2019). 49 minutes.

https://hiphination.org/season-3-episodes/s3-episode-8-uncivil-disobedience/

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