Overview
This introductory course is structured, largely chronologically, around three important strands of the liberal tradition in political philosophy: utilitarian liberalism, libertarianism, and egalitarian liberalism. We’ll consider each strand in turn, exploring the ways that they build on, depart from and critique each other. We’ll then turn to more sweeping critiques of liberalism as a whole, including a taste of a major competing political tradition, socialism, which draws on the liberal tradition even in the course of challenging it. One overarching aim is to get clear on both the virtues and the problems of this hugely significant tradition in Western political thought. The other aim is to help you clarify and persuasively express your own views on what justice requires of us collectively, in good times and bad.
Handouts / slides for each class will be uploaded to this folder.
Introduction
What is Political Philosophy? (January 20)
Russ Shafer-Landau, The Fundamentals of Ethics, Chapter 1 (“Introduction”)
A. Utilitarian Liberalism
Mill's Moral Philosophy (January 23)
John Stuart Mill, Utilitarianism (extract)
Russ Shafer Landau, The Fundamentals of Ethics, Chapter 9 (“Consequentialism”)
3. Mill's Political Philosophy (January 27)
John Stuart Mill, On Liberty, Chapter 1
Joel Feinberg, "Grounds for Coercion" (pages 328-334 only)
4. Mill on Freedom of Speech (January 30)
John Stuart Mill, On Liberty, Chapter 2
Bhikhu Parekh, "Is There a Case for Banning Hate Speech?"
5. Mill on Freedom of Action (February 3)
John Stuart Mill, On Liberty, Chapters 3 and 4
Joel Feinberg, "Grounds for Coercion" (pages 335-341 only)
6. Application: Organ Sales (February 6)
7. Assessing Mill (February 10)
Reading break!
But skim through The Pink Guide To Taking Philosophy Classes (since we'll be talking about your first assignment too)
B. Libertarianism
8. Nozick’s Entitlement Theory (February 13)
Robert Nozick, Anarchy, State and Utopia (extract)
John Hospers, “What Libertarianism Is”
9. Assessing Nozick (February 20)
Michael Sandel, Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do? (extract on Nozick)
Joshua Cohen, Notes on the idea of self-ownership
10. Application: Labor Protections (February 24)
U.S. Supreme Court, Lochner vs. New York (1905)
U.S. Supreme Court, Coppage vs. Kansas (1915)
U.S. Supreme Court, West Coast Hotel vs. Parrish (1937)
11. Application: Poverty Relief (February 27)
Jeremy Waldron, "Homelessness and the Issue of Freedom"
Matthew Desmond, "The High Cost of Being Poor"
C. Egalitarian Liberalism
12. Rawls: The Original Position (March 3)
Samuel Freeman, “The Original Position”
John Rawls, A Theory of Justice (extract 1)
13. Rawls: The Basic Liberties Principle (March 6)
Thomas Pogge, John Rawls: His Life and Theory of Justice, pp. 82-105
14. Rawls: The Difference Principle (March 10)
Michael Sandel, Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do? (extract on Rawls)
John Rawls, A Theory of Justice (extract 2)
15. Rawls: The Equality of Opportunity Principle (March 13)
Thomas Pogge, John Rawls: His Life and Theory of Justice, pp. 106-134
16. Application: Affirmative Action (March 24)
Michael Sandel, Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do? (extract)
U.S. Supreme Court, Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. vs. President and Fellows of Harvard College (2023). Read the syllabus (1-8), Justice Sotomayor's dissenting opinion (140-208), and Justice Roberts' reply on behalf of the majority to the dissent (end of 42-top of 39).
(Note: the page numbering in the Supreme Court pdf is confusing, because it compiles a set of separately numbered documents. The page numbers listed here are references to the pdf, not to the numbers used within the individual documents.)
17. CLASS DEBATE: Is redistributive taxation unjust? (March 27)
Class debate: no readings
D. Is Liberalism Unjust?
18. Is liberalism sexist? (March 31)
Martha Nussbaum, “The Feminist Critique of Liberalism”
19. Is liberalism racist? (April 3)
Chris Lebron, “Up from Rawls”
Charles Mills, "Rawls on Race"
20. Is liberalism imperialist? (April 7)
Serene J. Khader, "Do Muslim Women Need Freedom?"
E. Socialism
21. Marxism: The Theory (April 10)
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, The Communist Manifesto, sections I and II
Ian Shapiro, The Moral Foundations of Politics (extract 1)
22. Marxism: Criticism (April 14)
Ian Shapiro, The Moral Foundations of Politics (extract 2)
Peter Singer, Marx (extract)
23. Socialism (April 17)
G.A. Cohen, Why Not Socialism? (e-book)
24. Socialism vs. Capitalism (April 21)
Jason Brennan, Why Not Capitalism? (e-book)
Conclusion
25. CLASS DEBATE: What's the Best Theory of Justice? (April 24)
26. Summing Up (April 28)