Philosophy of Criminality and Forgiveness Course

A course for the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation, and Reentry

This course examines the connection between philosophy and the law. Specifically, this course critically examines the notion of the ‘born criminal.’ Are certain groups or individuals born with a predisposition for criminal behavior? It may initially seem that philosophy is unrelated to this question, but it is helpful to remember that the law, and legal reasoning, are branches of philosophy. As such, the merits of the ‘born criminal thesis’ can be analyzed under a philosophical framework.