Throughout the history of Western philosophy, there have been debates concerning how human beings should live: What should we do both with our lives as wholes and in specific problematic situations? The debates have addressed us both as individuals and as members of political communities. This course aims to aid us in responding to these debates, and in living our lives, on the basis of reasoned conclusions rather than from unrecognized presuppositions. The course concentrates on Plato's Republic, the most influential ethical and political text within Western philosophy, but we assess the Republic in light of elaborations and criticisms that have developed over the past 2500 years, in works by Aristotle, Kant, Mill, and Nietzsche. Emphasis on class discussion and the writing of critical papers. Requirements: frequent short papers, totaling 20-30 pages. This course is writing-intensive. No prerequisites. Enrollment limited to 19 per section.

Hour: First Semester: KOJEN,WHITE Second Semester: BULLWINKLE