Schedule of Events

A criminal justice system is one that defines criminal behavior, determines if and how crimes and criminals are punished, and takes measures to prevent this behavior from occurring. According to the Department of Justice, the mission of the U.S. criminal justice system is to prioritize independence, impartiality, honesty, integrity, and respect and to uphold the law, keep our country safe, and protect civil rights. However, the reality of the U.S. system is much more grim. Recent research by Stanford Law School’s Immigrant Rights Clinic demonstrates how racial bias and discriminatory practices infiltrate every step of the criminal justice process and have lasting consequences that keep marginalized communities disproportionately involved with the criminal justice system. This project stems from the question of why this happens and how we can have a criminal justice system that collectively benefits everyone in our society. I first discuss ways the system is not working, and then I explore and defend an alternative, Utilitarian approach to criminal justice. Currently, the U.S. criminal justice system neglects to consider the wider social ramifications that we ought to take into account. My arguments will show both why that is important and how Utilitarianism is the only theory that can take all those factors into account.

Nearly 80% of respondents across 27 OECD countries believed that economic inequality should be reduced or more should be done to ensure equal opportunity. Economic inheritance, or the transmission of wealth from predecessors to heirs, has long been established without widespread critique. I look at the philosophical theories supporting or opposing inheritance and policy reform. Can there be a balance between the right to private property and equality of opportunity? I gain insight by referring to a variety of cultural and historical perspectives on economic inheritance. Tracing the history of economic inheritance, I will argue that our modern world calls for a progression of our conception of individual property and entitlement. Additionally, I emphasize the need to utilize relatable thought experiments so the general public resonates with and connects practical implications to the topic. I applied philosophical methodologies to understand the modern implications of economic inheritance, such as conceptual analyses and argumentation, which allows the best solutions to emerge by thoughtfully considering and disproving opposing arguments and ideas. I also reference empirical data to ground my arguments in defendable patterns of people and systems.

Legal jurist and former Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court Antonin Scalia's textualist interpretation of the Constitution offers a method that advocates for interpreting the U.S. Constitution as closely as the original audience did at the time it was written. Notwithstanding the lack of primary focus on authorial intent, Scalia's textualism still offers, in some part, consideration for what the original authors of the Constitution intended for it to mean while stressing the inevitable complexities of attempting to disfigure what every individual author intended. This project was written to explain the judicial history of Scalia's controversial writings and decisions, demonstrate his commitment to text-based advocacy, and argue for its continued use in current and future judicial court systems. This project will be divided into three parts; in the first, I will explain Scalia's textualism; in the second, I will explore common critiques of textualism; in the third, I will examine Scalia's own responses and defend it against common rebuttals. Ultimately, I will argue that Scalia's textualism is a convincing judicial philosophy.

College is a goal for millions of students. It can be fun and exciting, but it can also be scary and leave students feeling stressed, alone, and often homesick. However, there is a tool students can use that can help them, and that is philosophy. I argue that philosophy is essential to the success of any college student. Philosophy teaches students how to think critically and encourages them to examine, question, and evaluate ideas while providing the necessary tools to build their own concise arguments. This level of concentration and analysis can be utilized in any classroom. Aside from just critical thinking, philosophy allows students to tackle ethical reasoning, which gives them leeway to be intellectually independent, question ideas and authorities, and develop morals they truly believe. Outside the classroom, philosophy helps students figure out who they want to be, both professionally and personally, while providing them with ways to build structure for themselves. What students don’t realize is that they use philosophy in their everyday lives, even if it’s subconsciously. Philosophy is the art of reflection, and anytime you stop to think about yourself, your goals, etc., you are practicing philosophy. Philosophy is also the practice of self-love and self-care, which is greatly emphasized by famous philosophers such as Aristotle and Descartes. Therefore, to help all students, I have constructed a guide for college students to see how they can use philosophy in their everyday lives and how this can gradually help them throughout and beyond their college journey.