Philosophy 170 - Problems in Social Thought

Participating in a functioning democracy requires engagement with a variety of sociopolitical questions. Here are some currently relevant examples: Should the Westboro Baptist Church be allowed to protest military funerals? What is the right balance between toleration and religious freedom? Should undocumented immigrants be allowed to become citizens? Do all citizens have a right to health care? Are preventive drone strikes in foreign soil morally permissible? Are whistle-blowers heroes or traitors? This course provides the opportunity for a careful examination of these complex questions about liberty, justice, and security. (Gen. Ed. SB)

Open to first-year Exploring Society RAP students in Van Meter. Students in Exploring Society RAP in Van Meter Hall will enroll together in "Problems in Social Thought" (Philosophy 170). This course will introduce students to philosophy by focusing on the topic of peer disagreement. Students will be introduced to the fundamentals of academic philosophy (especially epistemology) and they will leave equipped with a "philosopher's toolkit" which will aid in any future work involving analytic reasoning.

See https://www.umass.edu/rap/exploring-society-rap