The modern philosopher David Hume argued that “man, born in a family, is compelled to maintain society, from necessity, from natural inclination, and from habit.” We are all born into a particular political society. Good citizenship demands that we pursue the good of that political society. To do that, we must understand what that society is meant to achieve. In this class, we will explore this essential question: what is America for? This is a discussion-driven course. Together, we will reflect on how we, as rational and political animals, share and pass on a particular way of life. We will ask how we can rightly claim that there is one American way of life and one way to live it out when we live in a pluralistic society. We will ask whether American identity and purpose have changed—or remained the same—over time. We will take a multidisciplinary approach to these questions, incorporating elements of philosophy, religion, history, political science, and literature. We will consider the roles of religion and culture, urbanism and ruralism, tradition and progress, and gender and the color line, as we grapple with this essential question of national purpose.
