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Exploring Harry Potter’s ethics
By Vanessa Santilli-Raimondo, The Catholic Register
June 8, 2011
Is Harry Potter a good person? That depends on which ethical theory you use to examine his character and actions, said Iva Apostolova, professor of The Ethics of Harry Potter, a new course being offered at Saint Paul University in Ottawa. From June 1 to 29, the philosophy course is giving students at the Catholic and bilingual university an understanding of different ethical theories by situating them in the context of the Harry Potter series. The course runs in the lead up to the final movie instalment, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, which hits theatres July 15.
“Aristotle — which is virtue ethics — is the theory that fits perfectly for Harry Potter because it is all about courage, ambition and happiness,” said Apostolova. “It is all about virtues in the books.”
This is the first time the course is being offered at the university. And with 16 students enrolled in the class, it’s quite a large class size for the university, said Apostolova.
“Last year, the dean of the faculty of philosophy at Saint Paul offered The Ethics of the Lord of the Rings,” said Apostolova. “And he thought it was time to add another popular book that can be philosophized.”
The course will explore the moral dilemmas that run through the series through the lens of some classical ethical theories and seeks to answer important questions such as the value of friendship and the meaning of life. Character-wise, Apostolova will focus on Harry Potter, his two best friends Hermione and Ron, and Voldemort, the series’ antagonist.
Immanuel Kant’s deontology, John Stuart Mill’s utilitarianism, Carol Gilligan’s ethics of care and Aristotle’s virtue ethics all provide different interpretations about the ethical character of Harry Potter.
According to Aristotle’s virtue ethics, Harry Potter is definitely courageous, ambitious and subscribes to the virtue of friendship, said Apostolova. As far as the theory of utilitarianism is concerned (where the moral worth of an action is determined by its outcome), he could be labelled as a utilitarian because, while he breaks the rules at times, he does so for the greater good.
With regards to the ethics of care — which suggests that you must look after your closest circle of friends and loved ones — Potter fits this profile as he cares for those around him without exception.
But the morality of Harry Potter is challenged through Kant’s deontological ethics, she said.
“If you look at the first and second books, for example, a few times Harry breaks the house rules and yet he’s forgiven,” said Apostolova. “And that is very problematic from a point of deontological ethics because you subscribe to one principle, one moral imperative and you follow it no matter what.”
Shane Taylor, 20, who is enrolled in the course, said he grew up reading the Harry Potter series and connected with the main character because he was always the same age as Harry as each novel was released.
“And now that I’m pretty much an adult, I want to look at one of the most influential series that I read growing up and see if it is congruent with my belief system,” said Taylor.
John Inglis, a fourth-year student at the University of Ottawa who has lived at the Saint Paul University residence, is also taking the course.
“Something that has grabbed children’s attention so strongly certainly has an impact on how they’re going to act morally,” said Inglis, a political science major, on why he is interested in whether or not the characters are ethical.
And Inglis wanted to see different philosophers’ theories in action.
“If you’re a student taking philosophy, it seems there’s a pretty strong disconnect between what a philosopher says and how we see that portrayed or lived,” he said.
The course will explore the moral dilemmas that run through the series through the lens of some classical ethical theories and seeks to answer important questions such as the value of friendship and the meaning of life. Character-wise, Apostolova will focus on Harry Potter, his two best friends Hermione and Ron, and Voldemort, the series’ antagonist.
Immanuel Kant’s deontology, John Stuart Mill’s utilitarianism, Carol Gilligan’s ethics of care and Aristotle’s virtue ethics all provide different interpretations about the ethical character of Harry Potter.
According to Aristotle’s virtue ethics, Harry Potter is definitely courageous, ambitious and subscribes to the virtue of friendship, said Apostolova. As far as the theory of utilitarianism is concerned (where the moral worth of an action is determined by its outcome), he could be labelled as a utilitarian because, while he breaks the rules at times, he does so for the greater good.
With regards to the ethics of care — which suggests that you must look after your closest circle of friends and loved ones — Potter fits this profile as he cares for those around him without exception.But the morality of Harry Potter is challenged through Kant’s deontological ethics, she said.
“If you look at the first and second books, for example, a few times Harry breaks the house rules and yet he’s forgiven,” said Apostolova. “And that is very problematic from a point of deontological ethics because you subscribe to one principle, one moral imperative and you follow it no matter what.”
Shane Taylor, 20, who is enrolled in the course, said he grew up reading the Harry Potter series and connected with the main character because he was always the same age as Harry as each novel was released.
“And now that I’m pretty much an adult, I want to look at one of the most influential series that I read growing up and see if it is congruent with my belief system,” said Taylor.
John Inglis, a fourth-year student at the University of Ottawa who has lived at the Saint Paul University residence, is also taking the course.
“Something that has grabbed children’s attention so strongly certainly has an impact on how they’re going to act morally,” said Inglis, a political science major, on why he is interested in whether or not the characters are ethical.
And Inglis wanted to see different philosophers’ theories in action.
“If you’re a student taking philosophy, it seems there’s a pretty strong disconnect between what a philosopher says and how we see that portrayed or lived,” he said.