Social and Political Philosophy Winter 2025
PHIL 324
Course Description
Calendar Description for PHIL 324:
An examination of central issues in social and political philosophy. This course draws on both contemporary and historical readings to discuss issues such as: Does the state have legitimate authority to govern? What is the just way to distribute resources? What is the value of equality? Of liberty? What rights, if any, do we have, and why?
View requirements for PHIL 324 (https://acal.fast.uwaterloo.ca/course/1251/PHIL/324)
How is political authority justified? What is a just society? Students in this course will study a sample of key historical and contemporary texts addressing these questions, with an emphasis on liberal egalitarianism and its critics. A central focus of the course investigates the tension between natural freedom and political authority. We will look at various historical approaches to this tension on our way considering contemporary political philosophies that seek to resolve the tension in terms of considerations of egalitarian fairness. The later part of the course looks at criticisms of liberal egalitarian philosophy from work in feminism, disability theory, racial justice, and reparations. Theoretical developments that come from those criticisms are also examined. The themes of the course will be engaged critically, both in terms of readings that express opposing views, and in terms of students' own critical engagement with the issues in written work.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, you will have enhanced your abilities to:
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Understand and discuss the roots of liberal egalitarianism in terms of its roots in historical views of political authority and its justification (e.g., Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Mill).
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Understand and discuss contemporary formulations of liberal egalitarianism.
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Understand and discuss critiques of liberal egalitarianism from a variety of perspectives (e.g., libertarian, Marxist, feminist, racial-justice based).
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Analyze and evaluate philosophical arguments philosophers have proposed in support of positions discussed in the course.
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Communicate your own analyses and evaluative arguments effectively in written work.
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Tentative Course Schedule
Please see the Course Schedule in LEARN for complete details.
Texts / Materials
Note: Any prices provided in course outlines are best estimates based on recent online prices and do not include shipping or taxes. Prices may vary between retailers.
No materials required.
Required Readings
All readings for the course are available from the Course Schedule or on the Module pages in PDF format.
Student Assessment
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Component
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Value
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Introduce Yourself
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Ungraded
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Essay Assignment 1
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15%
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Midterm Take-home Examination
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25%
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Essay Assignment 2
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30%
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Take-home Final Examination
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30%
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