2017-2018 Academic Catalog 
    
    Mar 29, 2024  
2017-2018 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

PHIL 1320 - Social and Political Philosophy


Why do we live in a society and what kind of reasons can justify the existence of states? What is the most ideal form of government? What obligations, fundamental rights and liberties do we have? Is statehood necessarily immoral? What moral constraints should any form of government satisfy? Should wealth be distributed over the members of the society or should property right be sacred and unquestionable? These are some of the most fundamental questions of social and political philosophy. We will consider a wide range of historical and contemporary political theories that attempt to answer these questions. This course is designed to help you form your own political views and understand their historical roots and the arguments for and against them.