Fall 2022 - PHIL 320 D100

Social and Political Philosophy (3)

Class Number: 7724

Delivery Method: Remote

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 7 – Dec 6, 2022: Tue, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    One of PHIL 120, 120W, 121, 220, 221, 270, SDA 270, ENV 320W, or REM 320W.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

An examination of an issue or selection of issues in social and political philosophy. Contemporary or historical readings or a mixture of these will be used. Possible topics include: justice, the law and legal systems, sovereignty, power and authority, democracy, liberty and equality. Sometimes the course will focus on the views of historically important political philosophers, such as Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Burke, Bentham, Mill and Marx.

COURSE DETAILS:

This course will examine several key themes from contemporary political philosophy, including the following:

  • What, if anything, can justify the existence of government?
  • Which economic arrangements are compatible with a just society?
  • Who should control political decisions, and in what way (for example, should governments be democratic, and what form should that democracy take)?
  • When do individual rights limit what governments should do?
  • What do countries owe to people living outside their borders?

Course assignments will focus on helping students to analyze the arguments in course readings, to develop well-supported critiques of those arguments, and to defend those analyses in clearly written papers.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

PHIL 320 is one of the electives for the Philosophy Major or Minor with a Concentration in Law and PhilosophyIt may also be applied towards the Certificate in Ethics: Theory and Application.  

Grading

  • One 4-5 page paper 30%
  • One 8-10 page paper (preceded by a paper proposal; see below) 50%
  • Quality of Course Engagement (quality of written work in the paper proposal and in five, short, reading response exercises + quality of contributions to class discussion, including in break-out groups + (optionally) quality of in-class worksheets) 20%

NOTES:

Course delivery method: please note that this course is in person, face to face. However, it might switch to remote delivery. Decision to be taken closer to the start of the semester and will be added here.

UPDATED JULY 29: Course delivery:  remote, synchronous.  All students must be available to participate in classes over Zoom during the scheduled class period.

Materials

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:

UPDATED JULY 29: This course will meet over Zoom during the scheduled class period.  Students will need a microphone and high-speed internet access that will allow them to view live video and contribute to discussions and class activities over audio.  A camera is optional.  Technical specifications for compatibility with Zoom are available here

REQUIRED READING:

All readings will be available on the course’s Canvas page.


REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Department Undergraduate Notes:

Thinking of a Philosophy Major or Minor? The Concentration in Law and Philosophy? The Certificate in Ethics? The Philosophy and Methodology of Science Certificate?
Contact the PHIL Advisor at philmgr@sfu.ca   More details on our website: SFU Philosophy

New elective grade policy : P/CR/NC, pilot project in place from Spring 2021 to Summer 2023. List of exclusions for the new policy. Specifically for Philosophy: 

  • Students can use a P or CR to satisfy any requirement for a major, joint major, honours, or minor in Philosophy (with the exception of Honours tutorials).
  • Students can use a P or CR to satisfy any prerequisite requirement for any PHIL course.
  • Students can use a P (but not a CR) to satisfy any requirement for the Ethics Certificate, or the Philosophy and Methodology of Science Certificate.
  • Philosophy Majors and Honours students can use a P (but not a CR) to satisfy any WQB requirement.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity website http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the university community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the university. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the university. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html