Understanding the modern world

Our world has been vitally shaped by the ideas of key thinkers: ideas about morality in a secular world and whether a radical loss of meaning threatens us, the role and status of women, the question of how ‘human nature’ ought to be understood (or rejected) , the character of political and economic injustice and exploitation and what can be done about it - and much more. This course introduces the ideas of four key thinkers and examines what they thought and what kind of influence they had on our world. Since their ideas are with us still, and they shape and influence us in myriad ways, we surely ought to examine what it is they have to say, and whether we agree with them or not. This course aims to give you the chance to do that for yourself.