ONLINE: This lecture-based course continues the exploration of moral and political philosophy begun in the Spring 2025 session, which traced the influence of thinkers from Plato to Immanuel Kant on modern political thought. The fall session shifts focus to key developments from the 18th century to the present. We’ll examine early American democratic ideals in the Federalist Papers and Alexis de Tocqueville; conservative political philosophy in Edmund Burke; utilitarian liberalism in John Stuart Mill; and dialectical-historical approaches in Friedrich Hegel and Karl Marx. We’ll then turn to existentialist political thought in Friedrich Nietzsche and Hannah Arendt; explore neoliberal theories in John Rawls; and conclude with postmodern critiques of power and knowledge in Jacques Derrida and Michel Foucault. No prior course is required; new and returning students are welcome. | Lecture + Q&A.
Max enrollment: 25.
Class sessions are recorded.
