HUMT-2000 : Philosophy of Human Person and Social Identity

Does natural science occupy a privileged position when it addresses perennial questions about human nature? Are religious beliefs compatible with a scientific worldview? What are social identities and in what sense can we describe gender and race as social constructs? How do social identities inform our understanding of the world? Given all that we know about the way that our lives are shaped by biology and culture, can we still describe human beings as free? The aim of this course is to introduce students to a series of contemporary philosophical debates about the status of science and religion, the nature of social identities, and the nature of human freedom. Along the way, we'll explore how these debates mirror some of the conflicts in contemporary political discourse.