PHIL 103 - Contemporary Social Issues & Philosophy

5 Credits

In this course, we examine pressing social issues of our time that affect the way we live and vote. Students will use philosophical concepts, theories, and skills to make sense of these issues and to think critically about them. Topics may include fake news and echo chambers, free speech and hate speech, campaign finance reform, gerrymandering, immigration and borders, terrorism, democracy, climate change, healthcare, gun control, organ markets, effective altruism, privacy, and others.

Fees

Quarters Typically Offered
Fall Day, Online
Winter Day, Online
Spring Day, Online

Designed to Serve Students seeking Humanities Area 1 distribution credit; students needing AA credit; Running Start students; students with an interest in philosophy; students interested in public policy, politics, economics, ethics; general students.
Active Date 20230328T10:34:23

Grading Basis Decimal Grade
Class Limit 24
Contact Hours: Lecture 55
Total Contact Hours 55
Degree Distributions:
AA

Humanities Area I

Course Outline
1- PHILOSOPHICAL CONCEPTS, THEORIES, & SKILLS

Arguments
Distributive Justice & Wellbeing
- E.g., Mill, Rawls, Nozick, Cohen, Singer
Property
- E.g., Hobbes, Locke, Marx, Schmidtz
Markets, Labor, Exchange, Public Goods
- E.g., Smith, Hayek, Gibbard, Cowen
Cost-Benefit Analysis
- E.g., Frank, Nussbaum, Sen
Paternalism
- E.g., Conly, Flanigan

2 - CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL ISSUES

Topics may include:

fake news and echo chambers
free speech and hate speech
campaign finance reform
gerrymandering
immigration and borders
terrorism
democracy
climate change
healthcare
gun control
organ markets
effective altruism
privacy

Student Learning Outcomes
Define key philosophical concepts

Clearly articulate a reading’s central argument by identifying its thesis and main supporting premises

Describe key objections to a reading’s central arguments

Correctly apply key philosophical concepts and theories to contemporary social issues

Generate one's own arguments in support of positions taken on various contemporary social issues