PHIL 31200 - Political Philosophy

Course Credit: 1
POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY This course explores longstanding themes and fundamental questions of political philosophy. For example: What are the demands of social justice? What is the nature of and justification (if any) of democracy? What is to be said for reasonable pluralism as a governing ideal? What is the source of the state’s authority to coerce and exclude, if there is any such thing? What is systemic misogyny? What is the nature and justification (if any) of socialism? How should we confront, in thought and action, grave historical injustices linked to present systems of profound yet morally arbitrary disadvantage? How are we to understand the proper relations between our multiform identities and the institutions of our political life? (A range of arguments and authors confronting some of these questions will be considered. Specific focus varies by instructor.) Prerequisite(s): A minimum of 2 courses in Philosophy [AH]