Week of April 16-20, 2001


I'll begin to discuss Thoreau and his ideas on Civil Disobedience.  Thoreau raises important issues regarding the relationship between private conscience and public responsibility.  You will remember that Kant suggests each of us can play two roles... one of which is "Scholar".  The Scholar in us is free to argue, debate, and raise issues to its heart's content.  But in our social roles it is our duty to comply with authority.   Thoreau won't settle for this.  He demands a society in which the private conscience is supreme.  In this he is similar to John Stuart Mill, whom we'll read a bit later in this course.
Thoreau at 39.  (1856)   The Thoreau Reader is a wonderful website.  Thorough and well organized.  It is worth a visit.  It is worth several visits.  Visit it by clicking on the image at the left.  Thoreau wrote of himself, "The greater part of what my neighbors call good I believe in my soul to be bad, and if I repent of anything, it is very likely to be my good behavior. What demon possessed me that I behaved so well?"