Is it wrong to conceive a child so that tissue can be removed from that child and used to save the life of another child? Is it wrong to breed Munchkin cats for sale, given that such cats are known to suffer from a variety of health problems? 

These questions were the focus of discussion during the final round of the first-ever Colorado High School Ethics Bowl Tournament, held on the University of Colorado Boulder campus on Feb. 4. 

Sponsored by the Department of Philosophy’s Center for Values and Social Policy, the tournament brought together teams from high schools in Boulder, Aurora, Lafayette, Parker and Fort Collins to discuss a variety of ethical issues in a friendly and collaborative form of competition. 

Faculty and graduate students from the philosophy department served as judges and moderators while students discussed and debated a wide variety of ethical issues, including questions about the smoking age, online privacy, banning religious garb, denying employee benefits on religious grounds, and going to work when you are likely to make other people sick. 

The Daily Camera covered the event, and the story can be seen here. 

For more information about the Center for Values and Social Policy, contact center Director David Boonin at david.boonin@colorado.edu.