Morality, meaning, freedom, and the mind — Peripatetic Philosophy

Last week we discussed theories of justification in moral and political life, beginning with contractarianism, which grounds morality in agreements among rational self-interested agents, and contractualism, which instead seeks principles no one could reasonably reject. We turned to existentialism, emphasizing freedom, authenticity, and the anxieties of self-definition in a world without given meaning. Readings on human rights, moral disagreement, and relativism confronted questions of universality, conflict, and whether moral truths are objective or culture-bound. The entry on promises examined how obligations are generated by acts of commitment, while value theory explored the nature of the good and the possibility of plural or incommensurable values. Weakness of will highlighted the puzzle of acting against one’s better judgment. Alongside these, Singer’s reflections on evolution and ethics linked biology to moral norms. The classic texts deepened these issues: Nagel described the absurd tension between our search for meaning and the universe’s indifference; Thomson dissected moral distinctions through the trolley problem; Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics framed virtue as the path to the good life; Blackburn and Benn introduced ethical concepts with attention to plural traditions; Nozick, Wolf, and Metz pursued accounts of life’s meaning beyond subjectivism or hedonism; Paul and Elder urged habits of critical thinking; Bardon investigated transcendental arguments; and Dretske as well as Godfrey-Smith probed the nature of mind, consciousness, and animal life. Together these readings centered on normativity, meaning, agency, and the fragile boundaries between self, morality, and the natural world.

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Each of us has his or her own philosophical history and journey, and during these walks, we introduce each other to our recent questions and reflections. There is no assigned reading, no required text. Bring your own recommendations, or see what has been recommended by others before.

We gather at Flywheel Coffee, near Stanyan and Page. At 11:15am we begin a hike through Golden Gate Park and return to Flywheel by 1:00pm. During the walk, we'll discuss your philosophical topics, whatever they may be.

In this dropbox folder you'll find texts and videos that have been discussed on previous occasions. You'll also find a list of recommended texts, if you are new to philosophy.