Millions of animals are surrendered to shelters every year, many of whom are euthanized, and many of whom might have been kept by their families if affordable veterinary care were available. Frankie has always wanted to adopt a dog but doesn’t feel confident about having the time or money to properly care for a canine family member. Sam is the proud parent of Ellie, an adopted shelter dog. Sam doesn’t always have as much time to play with Ellie as they’d like but reasons Ellie is still better off bored living with Sam than she would be in a stressful shelter environment.

In recent years, several controversies have arisen over racial and ethnic matching between parents and children in adoptions. Despite the fact that laws often prohibit such racial and ethnic matching on the grounds that it is discriminatory, supporters of matching continue to argue that adopted children are better off when placed with parents from the same racial or ethnic background. What rights do would-be parents have when it comes to adopting children?

Brandy was just accepted to law school but isn't sure if she should attend. She also deeply wants to be a stay-at-home mother, and she and her partner want to have children right away. She is deeply divided by these two options but her friend Wynona thinks it's obvious that Brandy should go to law school. If she didn't, she would throw away an important opportunity, she would be wasting her talents, and she would be betraying feminists who fought to expand opportunities for women. What values are at stake in this debate? Is the decision about what career path to pursue a purely personal decision?

Maria's parents think that she would be more respected and appreciated at her new job if she bought new clothes and spent more time and money on her appearance. Maria has little interest in and money for this. She also resents the gender roles that govern workplace politics and expectations. But she does want recognition for her work. Should Maria follow her parent's advice? How far is it appropriate for an individual to go when modifying their behavior to follow norms they consider unjust?

Many are excited about driverless cars but a variety of moral questions arise as they are created and improved upon. What moral principles should we use to guide driverless cars in unexpected dangerous situations? If driverless cars are safer than human drivers, should we continue to allow human drivers at all?

Heart Attack Grill sells extremely unhealthy food, but is honest about how bad the food is for one's health. Should owner Jon Basso continue to operate the Heart Attack Grill after 2 regular customers died of heart attacks? Do people have the right to eat whatever food they want, even if it kills them?

David Cameron wants to restrict access to online pornography in the UK. What role should governments have in deciding if content is morally acceptable for children? Given Mr. Cameron's view that porn is morally corrosive to children, how should the UK balance the greater good against free speech and other rights?

All male US residents must register for the draft, but exemptions exist for "conscientious objectors." People can object if their religion prohibits participation in combat or they have strongly held moral objections to war. Under what circumstances, if any, should someone be able to object to military service?

The Carolina Beach town council banned smoking on the town's beach. Supporters of the ban cited environmental, health, and aesthetic concerns. Opponents cite economic concerns and claim the ban intrudes on personal rights.