Forty years after first teaching an introduction to moral philosophy, Catholic Institute of Sydney President Professor Hayden Ramsay is returning to the classroom. The internationally-recognised scholar will teach the subject once again in the second half of the year, marking four decades since he first began lecturing in 1986.
He told The Catholic Weekly that moral philosophy is not about memorising ethical rules but practising thinking clearly about difficult questions. Unlike moral theology, which draws on what God has revealed in Jesus Christ through Scripture and the church’s tradition, moral philosophy asks what human reason alone can tell us about living a good and virtuous life.
For Professor Ramsay, the attraction to that discipline has never faded for three reasons.
“Being able to think about important moral issues matters to everyone; moral issues are critical for future priests and church workers; and thinking philosophically is really enjoyable,” he said.
Returning to teaching after so many years in senior leadership positions in tertiary education is also an opportunity to test himself and his methods, he added.
“I admire some modern changes in teaching practice, but I want to see for myself whether the way I used to teach still works,” he said.
He also wants to “test out” some up-to-date moral worries and questions around artificial intelligence and bioethics, the ethical dilemmas people face in their workplaces and communities, among other topics. Given the enormous social and technological change over the past 40 years, he believes the deepest moral questions facing young adults have changed surprisingly little but developing a habit of careful moral reasoning has become even more important.
“Some moral questions are very difficult,” he said.
“When you’re caught in the middle of a life-or-death dilemma or expected by your boss to do something that just feels wrong, there often isn’t time to stop and think it through from the beginning.
“If you’ve done some moral philosophy, you will have positions – principles – in your mind that you can turn to and rely on in those tricky moments.”
Rather than hoping students leave with a fixed set of answers, Professor Ramsay hopes they develop a lifelong way of thinking.
“What’s most important is that people think for themselves and work out the truth on moral matters for themselves – everything should be tested.
“I’m less interested in what particular thoughts they take away and more interested that they start practising a new style of thinking.
“Thinking philosophically has been bashed by our media, institutions – including universities, politics, policy and, sadly, sometimes in the church.
“Thinking deeply and struggling for clarity on a moral matter – and drawing on the most brilliant thinkers who have done so before you – are really worthwhile.”
He said Catholicism offers students a unique intellectual tradition for engaging the world’s most difficult ethical questions.
“If you add to that the theological and magisterial material on morality, Catholicism provides students with extraordinary resources to work out what they truly believe about moral matters.”
Looking ahead, Professor Ramsay said the Catholic Institute of Sydney is entering a new phase, expanding its offerings for lay students while continuing its core mission of educating seminarians.
“We will build a focus around education and formation of school teachers and leaders and helping to form people within their parishes,” he said.
“The intellectual resources of the faith are vast, and the institute has a privileged position in this country in terms of opening this treasury to new generations and communities.”
