Semester:
Fall
Offered:
2023
If a society achieved truly equal opportunity, so that everyone could rise as far as their effort and talent would take them, would it be a just society?
Suppose a society achieved truly equal opportunity, so that everyone could rise as far as their effort and talent would take them. Would this be a just society? Would those on top deserve their success? Should social roles, honors, and rewards be allocated according to merit? If so, how should merit be defined? To what extent is American society a meritocracy? Do universities promote opportunity or reproduce privilege? The course will explore these and other questions related to equality, mobility, and the American dream.
See also: Ethics & Civics