Ethics and Society

Catalog description

This class introduces students to the methods of contemporary analytic philosophy through the study of selected moral, social, and political topics. Our focus will be on political authority, social justice, legitimacy, and justifiable resistance in the face of injustice. We will consider questions as follows: What justifies the existence of civil government? What are the key elements of social justice? Do we have a duty to obey the law, and if so, what is the source of that duty? Does the duty extend to unjust laws? When we protest against unjust laws, must we always act civilly or peacefully, or can uncivil protest, and even rioting, be morally justified? Prerequisite: None. Fulfillment: Humanities Major Introductory requirement.