Humanity’s Quest for Meaning and Justice (Spring 2008)

Course Description

Since before recorded history, humanity has sought to shape and refine its moral and intellectual nature. The development and nurturing of civil communities have been at the center of this search. What does it mean to be moral and just? How has humanity defined morality and justice in different times and places? What is a community? Can a community exist without values shared in common? This seminar considers questions and issues of morality and justice in a variety of settings: pre-history, classical Greece, the Middle East , modern China, and contemporary America. We explore characteristics common to all humans, and how those characteristics find expression in the creation of cultures very different from one another. We seek answers to questions of morality and justice within Western and non-Western settings. We discuss the idea of a supreme being, giving special attention to contrasting views within Christianity, Islam and Judaism.