A Philosophical Take on Current Political and International Issues

Henry L. Ruf

Course Description: This lecture series will consist of theoretical and applied investigations of issues of justice in the 21st century. After presenting an interpretation of justice as the demand to protect people from domination and oppression, an examination will be made of the general danger of injustice in our world and of what justice requires in the areas of political and economic democracy, taxation, crime, group and national memories of injustice, the treatment of illegal aliens and refugees, and dialogue with less than perfectly just nations.

Eight Lectures:

Set One:

1. A Theory of Justice for the 21st Century - Justice requires minimizing domination and oppression, and maximizing protection of the singular uniqueness of people.
2. Interest Group Democracy vs. Discursive Democracy - In a democracy what voices are to be heard and what are the responsibilities of speakers and hearers in seeking democratic solutions?
3. Democratizing the World’s Economic Practices - Within and between nations, is it possible for all parties affected to democratically determine economic practices and policies?
4. The Ethics of Taxation - Which question should we ask: How many taxes am I paying? Or how much do I have left after paying my taxes?

Set Two:

5. Crime and Punishment - Should the criminal justice system focus on criminal laws being broken or on law-breakers being dangerous criminals?
6. Forgiving But Not Forgetting the Unforgivable - How does one do justice to past tragedies while working for a just future?
7. A Realistic Ethics of Hospitality - What is a just approach to the illegal immigrants within a nation’s borders and the refugees wandering around the world?
8. Dialogue, Historical Patience, Ethical Impatience - Patient listening and ethical speaking is superior to military intervention when dealing with less than ideally just nations.

Biographical Information: Henry L. Ruf holds a B.A. from Macalester College an M.A. from Emory University and a Ph.D. from Harvard Divinity School. He has taught philosophy and humanities at Boston University, SUNY Oswego, West Virginia University, Truman State University and Florida Atlantic University. He was a Fulbright lecturer in Japan, China, Pakistan, Tibet and Thailand and is the author of Postmodern Rationality, Social Criticism and Religion (2005) and World Religions in a Postmodern Age (2007)