Defining (Good) Work
Wed, Jan 25
In order to further hone in on the role we think work should play in a life well lived, we have to start thinking about how we want to define work itself, and about how to separate out "good work" from "bad work." In today's class, we'll consider a few such definitions, and get a better sense of how philosophers have thought about the value(s) of work in human life, both individually and socially.
Goals - by the end of today's class, you will:
- Identified several of the most common ways in which philosophers see the value(s) of work,
- Generate your own view about what separates "good work" from work that lacks the value(s) most characteristically associated with it, and
- See the broader implications (e.g. social, political, and practical) that such a view has for your "philosophy of work."
Read This:
(Access readings on Perusall)
Primary reading: Geuss, "A Philosophy Looks at Work" (Ch. 1)
Do This:
After completing the readings for today, consider the following questions (which we will talk about in class):
- Think about the various features Geuss associates with work (conditions (a), (b), (c), etc). Are these things you tend to associate with work? Would you add or subtract anything from this account?
Make sure to complete the following sections of the "ThinkerAnalytix" course:
0. Course Overview
1. What is an Argument?
2. Components of Arguments