Intro Phil: Social & Political Issues (PHIL*1010)
Code and section: PHIL*1010*01
Term: Winter 2018
Instructor: Omid Payrow Shabani
Details
Taking philosophy in a general way to be the investigation of the most fundamental questions in various fields, this course aims to examine such questions in relation to social and political areas of human interaction and important questions such as what is justice? What is a just state? What is the political? How should we understand the relation between political authority and individual liberty? What is democracy? Is the law the instrument of justice, or the tool of powerful interests? What is civil society? The answer to these questions will be sought, first, by a study of canonical texts of Western political philosophy which will include both ancient and contemporary contributions, and secondly, by a discussion of current controversies as found in the court cases and news in Canada. By the end of the course, students not only will have a sense of main topics and issues in social and political philosophy but will also be able to examine and analyze such arguments as found in their everyday life.