PHIL 106 - Philosophy and Contemporary Issues Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
a and b: This course introduces students to the philosophical study of moral issues, focusing upon topics such as war, terrorism, our food choices, abortion, and euthanasia. Emphasis throughout is placed upon argumentative rigor, clarity, and precision. Jamie Kelly.
a: Democracy. This course explores democracy in the 21st Century as a philosophical question. We consider recent democratic movements like Nuit debout in France, public spaces like Tahrir Square in Eygpt, and hashtags like #iranelection against the backdrop of the invention of democracy in ancient Athens. We then think about democracy more philosophically as a desire to act and speak in public space, and we question whether modern representative governments allow for a sufficient sense of equal political participation. Finally, we reflect on what it means to be unable to participate in politics or, in more dire cases, to be excluded from any form of political life. Readings include works from Hannah Arendt, Jacques Derrida, Jacques Rancière, Miguel Abensour, Étienne Balibar, Giorgio Agamben, and Ta-Nehisi Coates, among others. Travis Holloway.
Two 75-minute periods.
Add to Portfolio (opens a new window)
|