The Ethics of Duty

In today's highly individualistic world, we often think more about what we want and deserve, rather than considering the concept of duty.  

But we are not atoms in a void. Humans are social and moral creatures, which means sometimes we have a duty to others that trumps our personal interests. 

For some people, that sense of duty is central to how they think about ethics. 

From healthcare workers to frontline soldiers to civil servants, we are surrounded by people who take duty seriously. But what does duty look like when we untangle it from things like obligation, orthodoxy and social pressure? When does duty override our self-interest or even the law? What happens when our duties conflict? And what does it mean when those to whom we are dutiful to aren’t dutiful back? 

In this session, anthropologist and army reservist Dr Monty Badami is joined by special guests to explore the ethics of duty.