Moral Responsibility
Liberty and Responsibility: Exploring the foundations of the modern open society (3652)Final Examination (Semester 1, 2021)Instructions1. This is a take-home final examination in the course: Liberty and Responsibility: Exploring the foundations of the modern open society (3652). The final examination constitutes 100% of the final grade. There are two opportunities to take this examination (Moed A and Moed B). This examination paper contains a total of two-pages (including this one). Please make sure you read all instruction carefully before completing the examination.2. You have 1 week to complete the examination. You must upload your answers to the Tomagrade examination system as a single file, in Word or PDF format only, and can do so at any time during the examination period. Handwritten answers will not be accepted! Late submissions will not be accepted! Your answers text should not include any identifying information, except your Israeli ID number (if applicable).3. Once you have submitted your answers, you must print, complete, sign, scan and return the Assignment Integrity Statement as a PDF file to the TA via email:If you do not submit the Assignment Integrity Statement your examination will not be graded!4. You have a choice of questions to answer. Answer only two out of the three questions! Each question carries 50% of the total grade. This is an open-book, take-home examination. You may refer to any notes, academic texts (books articles) or other sources for the purpose of answering the questions. You may not confer with other students during the examination. Please cite your sources fully using footnotes (not endnotes). At the start of each answer simply write the number of question you are answering: (1), (2), or (3). There is no need to copy the text of the question into your answer.5. Yours answers must be typed using size 12 Times New Roman font, using a line spacing of 1.5. You may write your answers in English or in Hebrew. Each answer should not exceed 2.5 pages, including everything. You may use bold and/or underline to emphasize key points, but please do this sparingly to preserve the effect.6. The questions contain all the information you need to answer fully. Faculty members or the TA cannot answer the questions for you. If you are genuinely unclear about a particular word or phrase, however, and require clarification as to the meaning of the word or phrase, you may email the TA and ask for clarification.7. Good luckQuestion 1Drawing upon the texts we discussed in classes 2, 3, and 4 of the course (Popper, Constant, Berlin) explain in your own words what are “open societies” and how do they differ from “closed societies”. What are the main defining characteristics of open and closed societies? Do these characteristics remain the same or change over the course of history?Question 2In classes 5, 6, and 7 of the course, we discussed the institutional features of modern liberal democracies the state, democracy, and the rule of law. (A) In your own words, define the main features of modern statehood, democracy, and the rule of law. (B) Choosing one state/country as an example, explain to what extent statehood, democracy, and the rule of law are functioning well or malfunctioning, and why.Question 3In classes 8, 9, 10, and 11 of the course, we examined a number of key challenges to contemporary open societies. Some of these such as certain types of nationalism and populism are challenges that we have experienced in the past, whereas others such as existential risk from climate and emerging disruptive technologies or the effects of social media on democratic politics are new. Focusing on two challenges of your choice, analyze the challenges and offer possible ways with which these challenges can best be managed or resolved.[END OF EXAMINATION TEXT]
