RELPOL 2100
The Good Life Between Religion and Politics
What constitutes a life well lived? Where do we turn for the answers to that question? And do we ask it in the plural, "we," or as individuals? This course considers the way religious and political thought has shaped considerations of the classical ethical question of how we should live, and the way that ethics has often served to connect religion and politics in thought and practice. Do we need a religious basis to answer ethical questions, or can we determine how to live without religious sources of authority? On what basis, and with what capacities, can we imagine new answers to ethical questions-in community or on our own? Taking a philosophical approach through both classic and modern texts, we will consider of a range of answers to the question of how we should live, and a range of strategies for imagining the inquiry. This course satisfies the introductory course requirement for the minor in religion and politics.
Instructors
Reviews
i love bialek!!! i've taken good life and love and reason with her (good life is very philosophical, but those lectures were amazing. legitimately) i am not a reader but she is so very good at breaking down the reading to make sense and integrate it with other materials and ideas. she is so understanding and flexible about extensions. 1000/10
10/2/2023
"The good life between religion and politics" is a lot more philosophical than the course description sounds (especially for the first half of the semester). Because of that, it wasn't my favorite class but great professor and not too much work
3/10/2022
Professor Bialek does an amazing job discussing very interesting topics. She is very understanding of extenuating circumstances and is such a good person. The readings she chooses are genuinely interesting, and I have nothing but good things to say about her!
1/15/2022
Professor Bialek is caring and thoughtful. She is an engaging lecturer and is friendly to the students. Her major assignments take time but she is more than happy to help you and you get chances to improve your grade.
12/12/2021
Professor Bialek is insightful, helpful, and super nice and accommodating. I highly recommend taking "The Good Life Between Religion and Politics" with her at some point. She ensures you have multiple chances to get a good grade, and the course content is super interesting and relevant to how we live our lives.
10/26/2021