The public sphere is undergoing a process of moralization that has modified the way debates are approached and evaluated. Issues that are not inherently moral are now understood from that perspective, ranging from daily habits and behaviors to matters of political and institutional relevance. As a consequence, the rationality specific to each discussion domain is replaced by the emotions, dispositions, and criteria inherent to the moral domain. Digi_morals studies the dynamics of moral disagreements by integrating conceptual reflection with empirical and experimental research to enhance the positive effects of these disagreements and minimize extreme polarization, intolerance, or hate speech in the digital sphere.

Why study moral disagreements? There is ambivalence about the effects of moral disagreements, especially concerning radical disagreements (involving different values) and deep disagreements (presupposing opposing principles of general justification). Some authors emphasize the antidemocratic effects, intolerance, and erosion of public debate resulting from such extreme disagreements, negative effects that seem to manifest and intensify even more in digital contexts. On the contrary, other authors highlight the positive effects of making disagreements visible in the digital public sphere.

What is digi_morals’ approach to moral disagreements? Digi_morals combines methods from applied philosophy, experimental ethics, and political epistemology with those from social scientific disciplines such as computational social analysis and studies on communicative interventions in contexts of conflict and extreme polarization. Digi_morals contrasts philosophical approaches to moral disagreements with empirical analysis of recent significant disagreements (e.g., abortion, prostitution legislation, or intervention in armed conflicts).

What impact does digi_morals have? The project creates interdisciplinary spaces for interaction among project participants and with other research teams and disciplines. Digi_morals applies experimental findings and normative theses resulting from research to the institutional design and architecture of digital media. Project activities aim to generate public conversation through the project’s presence in media, social networks, political forums, citizen forums, etc.