Philosophy Teaching

What is the just way to distribute educational resources? Do parents have the right to benefit their children via education, if doing so harms other children? How should we resolve the tension between liberal values and multicultural education? What is the difference between education and indoctrination? What should the role of education and educational institutions be in a divided democracy? These are questions in the philosophy of education that intersect strongly with classic issues in political philosophy: distributive justice, liberalism, and democracy. In this class we will learn about philosophy of education through the lens of political philosophy. We will also focus on becoming more precise and persuasive philosophical writers.

Readings include: Anderson (1999) ‘What is the Point of Equality?’; Satz (2007): ‘Equality, Adequacy and Education for Citizenship’; Schouten (2012): ‘Fair Educational Opportunity and the Distribution of Natural Ability’; Brighouse and Smith (2009) ‘Legitimate Parent Partiality’; Morton (2021): ‘The Miseducation of the Elite’; Hausman (2010): ‘Affirmative Action: Bad Arguments and Some Good Ones’; Schrag (2001): ‘From Here to Equality: Grading Policies for Egalitarians’; Gutmann (1987): Democratic Education; Anderson (2009): ‘Democracy: Instrumental vs. Non-Instrumental Value’.

Nation-states have incredible power over the lives of their citizens. The federal government can lock us up. It can tell us how to behave in public. It can give us property and take it away. It can enforce vaccinations and quarantines. Where does this power come from? And when is it legitimate? This course will investigate philosophical answers to these questions. In particular, we will think about how to justify the existence of the nation-state; about the nature, scope, and limits of legitimate state power; about how to justify the nation-states power to punish and coerce its citizens; and, about political dissent and revolution. Through thinking about these issues, you will develop skills for academic writing and confidence to better express your views.

Readings include: Huemer (2012) ‘The Problem of Political Authority’ (selections); Hobbes (1651) ‘Leviathan’ (selections); Rawls (1964) ‘Legal Obligation and the Duty of Fair Play’; Goldman (1896) ‘Anarchy Defended by Anarchists’; King (1961) ‘Love, Law, and Civil Disobedience’; Delmas (2019) ‘Civil Disobedience, Punishment, and Injustice’.

This course will address questions of justice posed by current political controversies; for example, controversies over immigration, economic inequality, American nationalism, the government’s role in healthcare and the environment, racial inequality, the political power of elites, populism, authoritarianism, globalization, and the proper use of Americas global power. Readings in political philosophy and social science will be starting points for informal discussion and mutual learning among diverse perspectives.  

Readings include: Frankfurt (1967) ‘Equality as a Moral Ideal’; Gilbert (2018) ‘The American Class Structure in an Age of Inequality; Manne (2017) ‘Down Girl’ (selections); Shelby (2007) ‘Justice, Deviance, and the Dark Ghetto’; Selections from The New York Times, This American Life, Brookings Institute etc.