Before taking Honors Freedom and Authority with my amazing teacher Mr. Haupt, philosophy scared me. All I thought of was the greeks, inconclusive concepts, and argumentation. Discussions with my peers gave me evidence that I was not the only one with this mindset. However, Honors Freedom and Authority was a valuable introduction to the world of philosophy. Through readings of classic philosophers and political documents, I was able to learn about, conceptualize, and discuss topics of merit like human nature, justice, and property.
I quickly understood why there is value in philosophy. It helped me to understand the world better. Soon after my first couple of classes, I caught myself connecting my other classes to concepts that I learned about in Honors Freedom and Authority. In my AP English class, we read The Chronicles of a Death Foretold, and I thought of the principles of morality in death and murder. It was fascinating and useful to develop my thought process through the lens of philosophy.
My final project for the class was to research Robert Nozick, a fairly modern philosopher. My biggest takeaway from him was his concept of property and ownership. He envisioned a minimal state that gave ownership of anything to the people who obtained it originally only if the right of freedom was not violated. Nozick’s theory made me think of the Native American approach to property and specifically land ownership. My understanding is that land, for natives, is not to be bought, sold, or traded. The land is there to give to the people who can give back to it. It was interesting for me to compare these concepts and in doing so I learned more about the other.
The connections to broader themes outside of class were not limited to my comparison of Nozick and Indigenous peoples. Through this class, I am able to understand and learn more about ideas that are presented to me in class, news, and day-to-day life.