(formerly A PHI 116) (= A REL 220) History of Social and Political Philosophy

Catalog description

Formerly A PHI/ A REL 116. In any society, individuals have both shared interests as well as conflicts. Societies impose laws to resolve those conflicts. But this, in turn, raises the possibility of still further conflicts - between individuals and the laws. What is the relationship between individuals and a society's laws? Do individuals have an obligation to obey the law? Does society have an obligation to impose only just laws on individuals - and what is justice, anyway? These are some of the questions that will explored in this course by reading a variety of theories, starting with ancient writings and ending with work from the 20th or 21st century. Only one of A PHI/A REL 116 or A PHI/A REL 220 or T PHI 116 or T PHI 220 may be taken for credit.