Photo: Colleen Hayes / NBC.

Photo: Colleen Hayes / NBC.

Course Description

This course on Social Philosophy is structured around just one question: What is social justice? While the term has been saddled with pejorative connotations over the past decade, the public outcry following George Floyd’s murder demonstrates that a more substantive understanding of social justice is essential for public policy and community development in the United States.

At its most basic, social justice concerns how moral equals, like ourselves, ought to organize themselves together for the benefit of the entire community. But how should these benefits, along with any associated burdens, be distributed across the constitutive members of society? How does this work when there is an entrenched history of bias and prejudice denying the equal standing of certain people based on their sex or skin color? And even if we are not personally to blame, do we still have a responsibility to correct social mechanisms permitting, and perhaps even enforcing, the oppression and domination of one group by another?

In this course, we reflect on questions like these from the perspective of social philosophy, the branch of philosophy concerned with the systematic investigation of social phenomenon. In particular, we will focus on the interplay between individual behavior, on the one hand, and informal social norms and institutions, on the other. Exploring this complex dynamic, especially as it manifests itself in issues of sexism and racism, will help shed light on the nature and meaning of social justice.

Right at the outset, I wish to make it clear that our focus will not be on sexism and racism understood as a particular person’s set of intentions, attitudes, and beliefs. After all, in our everyday interactions with others, we may never divine or elicit their true motivations. In any case, attacking someone’s motives will rarely spur desirable social change.

This course will instead approach sexism and racism as social phenomena revealing themselves in individual actions and social norms, structures, and institutions. We can more readily observe these phenomena directly and witness their impact on members of society. This also reveals areas in which public policy may effectively influence.

We begin the course by first considering contemporary analyses of sexism and racism, with special attention on epistemic injustice. We then canvas competing views about social justice and what it means to be equals within society. After that, we examine the nature of structural injustice and who is responsible for rectifying it. Finally, we explore social justice’s demand for freedom from oppression and domination.

As you will soon see, many social justice issues do not have obvious right and wrong answers, nor will I tell you what is just and what is unjust. It is ultimately up to you, and to you alone, to reach your own conclusions on these difficult matters.

As a result, my primary goal is to cultivate your cognitive and affective capacities for critical reflection and practical deliberation about social justice and meeting its demands. This will better equip you to understand these issues for yourself and, in turn, meaningfully engage with others in your communities about them. Without a doubt, to achieve lasting social change, you must be prepared to secure the legitimate cooperation of others. That is a core principle motivating the existence of this course, and I will do my best to immerse you in the deliberative process it entails.

Photo: Vivian Zink / NBC.

Learning Outcomes

This course introduces you to the field of Social Philosophy by exploring issues related to social justice in the United States. Along the way, you will learn (I hope!) more about yourself and what productive roles you may play within society.

To help guide us, this course has five learning outcomes. By this December, you will be able to…

1. Explain and summarize important arguments within philosophical texts,
2. Apply these arguments to the difficult debates concerning sexism and racism,
3. Assess competing claims concerning the nature of social justice and the demands it may place on your actions and decisions,
4. Reflect on your own assumptions and form more considered judgments on issues of social justice, and
5. Communicate your understanding and analysis of these issues through written discourse.

I have designed each course requirement with these in mind.

Learning Resources

There are no textbooks to buy for this course. I have posted all the readings in PDF along with some reading questions for you to consult. I expect you to read that material according to the class schedule.

This website and UB Learns will also have assignments and other course materials, along with any updates to our schedule.

Class Structure

This course follows the principle of experiential learning, where you learn not only from me but also from your discussions and interactions with your classmates. Indeed, like any activity, you get better at philosophy the more you actually do it. As a result, the quality of the course depends critically on your individual attention and participation. The purpose of us coming together as a class is to learn and engage in these discussions as a group.

Our class meetings will therefore be driven by discussion of the readings and the arguments they contain. This gives you opportunities to actively practice philosophy, rather than passively absorb what others may say about philosophical issues. To help keep you engaged, I will do my best to make our class meetings worthwhile and time well spent. I will also take special care to create an environment where you feel comfortable asking questions and expressing your own views.

However, a few words of warning about this interactive format:

• Recognize that philosophy is a full-contact sport, but we are all on the same team. In our discussions, we must cooperate and work together wrestling with the arguments—while not attacking the person(s) expressing them. Disrespectful behavior will not be tolerated.
• To get the most out of our class meetings, please do not confuse this cooperative style of learning with mere conversation or informal, organized chatting.

The value of your contribution to this shared experience explains the strict attendance policy, along with my high expectations associated with participation.

Announcements & Other Communication

I will email important information to you throughout the semester, so routinely check your UB email for updates. Otherwise, I will gladly answer your questions, discuss your work, or respond to your concerns. Please see me at my office (Park Hall 118) or send me an email.

Keep in mind that I primarily read university-related email during my regular “business” hours (weekdays from 9:00AM to 5:00PM). Emails received outside of that time may not receive a response until I am back on campus. Of course, simple requests may be answered more promptly.