Are scarcity and inequality inevitable? Why does inequality matter? Given the limited and unevenly distributed amounts of time, energy, money, and resources in our world, how should we live our lives and how should we structure society? What are the ethical implications of living amidst scarcity and inequality? Are there practical solutions to global problems? What sort of politics do they imply? This seminar will explore existential questions concerning how we should live our lives given that we have only one life to live and a limited amount of time to live it. We will also grapple with ethical questions concerning what, if any, obligations we have to others (especially those who are less fortunate than ourselves), and explore practical questions concerning how to set priorities in such domains as health care and the distribution of wealth. These in turn raise complex political questions concerning how to create a more just and equitable society.