This is the Fall 2016 version of this course. For the Fall 2018 version of this course, click here.

You may download the full PDF here.

Course Description

This course is a philosophical introduction to pressing social and political issues of today. Public discourse is in a sorry state: partisanship is rampant; the left is becoming alarmingly authoritarian; the right is becoming increasingly transgressive. Fortunately, philosophy provides us with the tools necessary to navigate, examine, and evaluate positions in a clear and systematic manner. In this course, we will consider many of the most important problems of modern times. It will directly deal with current events and seek to understand their causes and effects. Topics of discussion will include but are not limited to: the state of nature; free speech; the legislation of force; racism; affirmative action; privilege; rights; capital punishment; the redistribution of wealth; and, the permissibility of violent rebellion.

Course Texts

1. Wolff, Jonathan. An Introduction to Political Philosophy, 3d. ed. (Oxford, 2016)

Course Requirements

Requirement              Description                                                            Weight           Date

Reflections                  Weekly reflections on the week’s topic.             10%                Recurring

Response Paper #1   A response to material from the first unit.         25%                17 Oct 0100

Response Paper #2   A response to material from the second unit.   30%                14 Nov 0100

Final Examination      A cumulative final examination.                          35%                06 Dec

Course Schedule

Week	Topic	Day	Readings
01	No lectures or tutorials.	Mon	[no class]
		Weds	[no class]

 Liberalism: Not What You Think It Is

02	Philosophy & Real Life	Mon	C: Syllabus
		Weds	C: James
03	The State of Nature	Mon	C: Hobbes (IPP)
		Weds	C: Locke (IPP)
04	The Social Contract	Mon	IPP: The social contract
		Weds	IPP: The principle of fairness
05	Liberty and Duty	Mon	IPP: Justifying the Liberty…
		Weds	IPP: Problems with liberalism

 The Past is Now!

06	The Sins of the Past	Mon	[Rescheduled to 02 Dec]
		Weds	IPP: Justice everywhere?
07	Oppression	Mon	C: West
		Weds	C: Truth & Reconciliation Comm.
08	Understanding Privilege	Mon	C: McIntosh
		Weds	C: Mulvey
09	Inequality	Mon	IPP: Justice for everyone?
		Weds	C: Cool

 Democracy: The Worst Form of Government*

10	Democracy Really Is Awful	Mon	IPP: Plato against democracy
		Weds	IPP: Rousseau and the general…
11	Your Guide to Mob Rule	Mon	IPP: Representative democracy
		Weds	C: Dunning
12	Is It the Best We Can Do?	Mon	IPP: Rawls’s theory of justice
		Weds	IPP: Rawls and his critics
13	Civil Disobedience	Mon	C: King
		Weds
		Fri	[Review]

*except all the others

Legend. C: CourseLink; IPP: Introduction to Political Philosophy.