(En)countering oppression: an argument for self-skepticism

Political philosophy has a lot to say about oppression, but does it adequately address the issue? This project asserts that it does not. The primary goal of this thesis is to redefine how we look at this socio-political problem, and to create a new model for analysis and application. I begin with a discussion of social contract theory and the many ways it has changed in an attempt to properly address the issue of oppression. Following this, the project turns towards an ethico-epistemological analysis of the elements of oppression in the modern social sphere. In this analysis, I look at prejudice, bias, disagreement, virtue, and vice as they pertain to the problem of oppression. Notably, this project considers the epistemic effects/affects of both the oppressed’s and the oppressor’s viewpoint. Finally, the project culminates in the development of the Argument for Self-Skepticism, my alternative to current social contract theory.