Philosophy of Evil: Defining, Understanding, and Responding to Evil

3 Units

The concept of evil plays a significant role in our moral thinking but is rarely clearly defined. When we call a person, institution, or action "evil," what do we mean? How do individuals or institutions come to commit or perpetuate evil acts? And how should societies and individuals respond to evil? This course will explore these questions through the lens of historical and contemporary philosophical and interdisciplinary accounts of the nature of evil, the causes of evil, and social and interpersonal responses to evil, including debates about forgiveness, reconciliation, reparations, and punishment. Offered as PHIL 337 and PHIL 437 . Counts as a Communication Intensive course. Counts as a Moral & Ethical Reasoning course. Prereq: Passing letter grade in Academic Inquiry Seminar (AIQS) or SAGES First Seminar.