What's Left of Philosophy 109 | Should We Abolish Prisons? w/ Dr. Tommie Shelby
12 snips
Mar 18, 2025 
Tommie Shelby, the Caldwell Titcombe Professor of African American Studies and Philosophy at Harvard, joins the discussion with his insights on prison abolition. He explores the moral dilemmas surrounding incarceration and the societal functions prisons serve, questioning their legitimacy. Shelby delves into the distinctions between reformist and abolitionist approaches, advocating for radical transformation in social justice. The conversation weaves together critiques of the criminal justice system, historical implications, and the impact of prisons on marginalized communities.
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Functionalist Critique
- Functionalist critiques explain institutions through their consequences, arguing their existence is tied to these effects.
- However, institutions can have multiple functions, requiring further analysis of why good functions can't exist without bad ones.
Limits of Genealogical Critique
- A genealogical critique can denaturalize social practices, revealing their contingent nature and connection to power.
- It doesn't automatically prove a practice is unjustified, as useful things can emerge from unjust origins.
Philosophical Analysis of Prisons
- Abstract analysis of prisons helps separate contingent features (like corruption) from essential ones.
- This approach allows for a principled discussion of what prisons could be, not just what they are.