Philosophy of Race

3 credits

PHIL-2150

Philosophy
College of Arts and Science

This course surveys developments in the philosophy of race. We will examine the ordinary conception of race and consider criticisms of it. Theorists in the field generally hold the ordinary notion of race in disrepute. The line of inquiry then becomes “What does ‘race’ denote?” and “Why”? In response, we will disambiguate race from closely associated concepts such as ethnicity, culture, nation, and class as part of a sustained investigation into the relationship between race and racism. Toward the end of the course, we will more directly reflect on implications of the inequality that race seems to track with a focus on mass incarceration and reparations. Graded on A-F basis only. Recommended: PHIL 1000, PHIL 1100, or PHIL 1200.