Contemporary public life is awash with contentious ethical debates regarding the justice of war, the justification of otherwise of censorship, the proper limits of freedom of speech, the appropriate aims of punishment, how we might strike a balance between the right to privacy and the need for surveillance. In this unit we use the writings of a number of significant social philosophers to examine the controversies and provide normative solutions to these vexing issues. In our treatment of these topics emphasis is placed on problem solving.