Courses
GFVM1035 Freedom in Modern Society (3 units)
- Medium of Instruction:
- English
This course discusses the moral foundation of freedom and the ethical issues related to the ideas of freedom in the modern society. First, the history of liberty and tolerance will be sketched. Then different concepts of freedom—e.g. negative and positive freedom, will be explained through discussions of the prominent philosophers such as John Locke, John Stuart Mill and Isaiah Berlin. Different theories of freedom from both secular and religious perspectives will also be expounded and compared. Finally, this course will help students identify, understand and reflect on a range of interdisciplinary issues in the areas of philosophy, political science, and ethics including freedom, democracy and tyranny, the scope of freedom and the limits of coercion (the harm principle), the balance or tension between freedom of individuals and responsibility towards society, and ethical dilemmas related to religious freedom, pornography and the limits of press freedom. This course encourages collaborative learning. Along with lecture-tutorial format, selected videos, group discussion and other activities may be added to enrich the learning environment.