Parr Center Forum: The Ethics of Gun Control

In the United States, a right to bear arms is enshrined in the Bill of Rights, but there is disagreement about whether and how this right should apply in present social, political, and technological circumstances. This disagreement raises many ethical questions.  For example, does gun ownership decrease violent crime by deterring potential criminals, or does it increase violent crime by allowing more people access to violent weapons? Also, do people have a right to self-defense, and if so, do they have a right to bear arms independently of the consequences of gun ownership?

Please join the Parr Center for Ethics for a debate on the ethics of gun control with Timothy Hall (Associate Professor of Philosophy, Oberlin) and Jeff McMahan (Professor of Moral Philosophy, Oxford), with Eric Muller (Professor, UNC School of Law) moderating.

This event, which is proudly sponsored by UNC Public Policy, the Gillings School of Global Public Health, North Carolinians Against Gun Violence, Moms Demand Action-NC, the Institute for Humane Studies, the John Templeton Foundation, UNC Department of Philosophy, and Duke-UNC Philosophy, Politics, and Economics Program, is free and open to all, and pizza will be served.