PHIL 101

PHIL 101: Introduction to Philosophy - Values and Society
Instructor: Mike Lockhart

Course Description

This course is designed to help you reflect systematically about how people should treat each other, as well as the role government ought to play. You already make judgments about these issues from time to time, whether it’s thinking about these things in the abstract (‘Should the government raise taxes to provide free daycare for single parents?) or simply navigating your day-to-day life (‘If Jean asks me, should I tell the truth and say that new shirt looks like ugly, or should I lie?’). But a lot of these judgments are made off the cuff; and we might be hard-pressed to explain how we distinguish right from wrong, or why we endorse particular political policies. This course presents you with a range of ethical and political theories. As you sort through these, you’ll have the chance to (i) see which theories are closer or farther from your own views; (ii) see the arguments offered for and against various theories and how these raise challenges for your own moral choices; and (iii) ultimately be able to see your values in relation to other possibilities.