Social philosophy 02.06-S2-EN-SP
The topics of the lectures
1. Social philosophy: its nature and aims
2. The historico-philosophical background: classical ancient and medieval theories of society (Plato, Aristotle, St. Augustine, Aquinas)
3. Classical social contract theories (Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau)
4. Utilitarian conceptions of society.
5. Classical liberalism and libertarianism
6. Conservative alternative to liberalism (Schmitt, Strauss, Voegelin, Bloom, Oakeshott)
7. Political pluralism (Berlin, Gray)
8. Karl R. Popper. Open society as an open question
9. John Rawls’ contractualism. Justice as fairness
10. Pragmatism and social hope (Dewey, Rorty)
11. Communitarianism (MacIntyre, Walzer, Sandel, Etzioni)
12. Multiculturalism (Taylor, Kymlicka)
13. Religion in public life
14. Toleration and political correctness
Course coordinators
Assessment criteria
Requirements
In addition to reading the assigned texts students will be required to take quizzes and to write papers, and to attend class and to participate in class discussion
(1) Quizzes will be given in class. The dates of which will not necessarily be announced in advance, but all of the possible questions will be provided, as study questions designed to aid you in your reading,
(2) Papers will be required Two of the papers will be reaction papers of about 2 pages each. One will be analysis paper of (4 pages).
First reaction paper should be submitted no late than 27 November. The second till 19 December
Analysis paper should be a revision of one of the reaction paper. It should be submitted no later than on 9 of January. Suggested topics for papers will be provided 3 week before their due dates.
(3) A final exam will be given in class on January 16.
(4) Attendance will be taken, and discussions will be held, in every class.
Bibliography
Reading assignment:
(1) Plato, Republic, book VI Philosopher-King 10. 10.2018
(2) Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, chapter XIII Of the Natural Condition of Mankind as
Concerning their Felicity and Misery 17.10. 2018
(3) John Stuart Mill, On Liberty, chapter IV, Of the Limits to the Authority of Society over the Individual 24. 10. 2018
(4) Karl Marx, Capital, vol. 1 part 1 Money and Commodities 7. 11.2018
(5) Karl Popper, The Open Society and Its Enemies, vol. 1, chapter X, Open Society 14.11.2018
(6) John Rawls, The Concept of Justice, chapter 79 The concept of well-ordered society 21. 11. 2018
(7) Sigmund Freud, Civilization and Its Discontents, chapter IV 27.11.2018
(8) Alfred North Whitehead, Religion in the making, lecture 1 Religion in History ….5.12.2018
The workshops on 12.12. 2018 and 19.12. 2018 will be devoted to:
(1) discussion of themes from short papers (which should be written till 5. 12. 2018)
(2) explanation of the method and aims of writing of analysis papers on philosophy
(3) discussion of issues indicated by students
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: