Sixth form Religious Studies students recently attended an Ethics Conference in London with teacher Mr. Miles 
Rogers.
The conference, led by former Vice-Principal of Heythrop College, University of London and Shebbear College governor Dr. Peter Vardy, featured video interviews with current leading moral philosophers at Oxford and Cambridge, and even the former Chancellor the Rt. Hon. Alistair Darling MP.
The lectures and debates covered a variety of ethical issues including the meaning of a good life, Kant’s ethics and his impact on human rights, abortion and the importance of concepts such as consent and personhood.
One lecture with a lot of impact for the students looked at the significance of business ethics in the current world market, highlighting the ethical concerns arising from pursuing the profit motive both in terms of human interests and the environment, and explaining the difficulty in regulating companies and banks.
The A-level Religious Philosophy and Ethics students found it a challenging but rewarding experience. They all received a copy of the book ‘Ethics Matters’, written by Dr. Peter Vardy and were surprised at how much they understood and learnt during the conference which will serve to consolidate some of their recent learning.