Lecture on The Social Contract at the South Hill Library on Perry and 34th
Dr. Shane Gronholz Ph.D. offers “Social Contract Theory”, the first in a four part series “Introduction to Political Philosophy”. The social contract is the philosophic basis for living in a society ruled by law. Dr. Gronholz is the Current Affairs Specialist at the Spokane Public Library. Here is an excerpt from this description on the Library website explaining the relevance of the topic:
In his role as Current Affairs Specialist, Shane frequently reflects on the nature of our political disagreements and the state of civic dialogue. He posits that many of these disputes stem from differing underlying political philosophies. While understanding these philosophies may not resolve all disagreements, it can foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of perspectives different from our own.
The central question we’ll explore is: Where does the authority of the government come from? The government makes a lot of rules about who gets to do what. Governments have told people whom they can marry, what drugs they can take, how much they have to pay in taxes, what rights have to be respected (and which ones do not), and much, much more. Our question is simply: why do they get to do that?
This is a fundamental inquiry in political philosophy, and your answer to it can significantly shape your views on what the government is entitled to do. Join us as we unpack this question and explore its far-reaching implications.
This is the first in four sequential Wednesday evening lectures. I urge you to click on this link for more detail—and then attend the lecture. Each Wednesday evening lecture is “designed to stand alone”, but I expect there will be some small additional value to starting at the beginning.
At this time I know of no plans either to livestream the lectures or to record them, so take this opportunity to visit the newly renovated South Hill Library and take advantage of a free lecture on a fascinating and highly relevant topic. For those who cannot attend on this short notice, if I hear of a livestream or a recording of this first lecture I will pass it along as soon as I know.
Keep to the high ground,
Jerry