Court of Moral Ambiguity

The Court of Moral Ambiguity is an interactive website and poker based card game that aims to prompt discussion about our ability to rationalise morally ambiguous acts. This Web-Court officiates in disputes about the morality of people’s actions. Visitors can select from a list of morally ambigous behaviours and explore information about them and common rationalisations.

In the card game players (2-5) are dealt five cards by the ‘Judge.’

Players have the option to change up to 3 cards 3 times with the aim being to get the highest value cards (aces low) based on their value in the deck. Other types of poker hands likes flushes etc. are not valued differently from the face value.

Each card contains a description of a morally ambiguous act covering four categories (suites): home, money, leisure and work. The severity of the act increases with the value of the card. Once the three rounds of exchanging cards are finished the winner is declared as the player with the highest value cards remaining in their hands.  They are then invited to explain (rationalise) their behaviour. Bluffing is encouraged, but it is up to the judge to decide whether they are telling the truth or not.