PHIL3088: Ethics and Dragons
Teaching Ethics Through Role-play
Instructor: Andrew Cullison
Why take this course?
All of the world鈥檚 complex problems can鈥檛 be solved without people having the requisite moral reasoning, dialogue and decision making skills to solve those problems. This course develops those skills in the students who take the course, and together we develop those skills in the students we serve at libraries all over Cincinnati.
Description
This course is a service-learning course in which students learn how to play and incorporate moral dilemmas into Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) adventures. Using the mechanics of role-playing games, students will engage with key ethical dilemmas, discuss moral reasoning, and apply key moral theories to their reasoning in game scenarios. Students will also participate in a service-learning component, where they serve as assistant Dungeon Masters (DMs) or model players for middle school students in local libraries, helping those students develop critical moral reasoning and dialogue skills by navigating ethical questions in a D&D setting.