Individuals in Society

Catalog description

This course provides a philosophical introduction to pressing social and political issues. We will ask, for example, what justifies having a government; whether inequality is ever justified; what obligations citizens have toward each other and toward non-citizens; what exactly is wrong with racism, sexism, and other injustices and what we should do about them; the limits and benefits of privacy; and the role of families, schools, churches, clubs, and employers in public life. We study prominent philosophers and theorists on these questions, and address recent events or policies. Students will develop an appreciation for thinking about values in the context of conflicting political visions, and the analytical and expository skills for examining and discussing them.