POLITICS 212(TH)
HISTORY OF

WESTERN POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY

Spring 2008

MWF 1:50-2:50pm

Eat 209

Prof. Sammy Basu Office: Sml 322

Hours: MWF 10:00-11:30

or by appointment.

x6264

mailto:sbasu@willamette.edu

http://www.willamette.edu/~sbasu/poli212/212OUT08S.htm

 

 

COURSE SUMMARY

 

This course surveys selected texts in the pre-modern history of Western political philosophy.  Attention is paid to the range of responses to some of the fundamental moral and practical themes of political philosophy, such as authority, justice, obligation, liberty, equality, property, revolution, order, progress, and rights.  Both the themes and the responses are evaluated philosophically and viewed historically.

 

 

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PLATO

(428-348BC)

ARISTOTLE
(384-322BC)

NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI
(1469-1527)

THOMAS HOBBES

(1588-1679)

JOHN

LOCKE

(1632-1704)

JEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAU

(1712-1778)

JOHN STUART MILL

(1806-1873)

 

 

 

COURSE OBJECTIVES

 

Objectives of this course include improving student's abilities to:

 

read:

"Do not read, as children do, to amuse yourself,

or like the ambitious, for the purpose of instruction. 

No, read in order to live"

m Gustave Flaubert (1821-1880), Letter to Mlle de Chantepie, June 1857.

 

 

speak:

"On an occasion of this kind it becomes more than a moral duty

to speak one's mind.  It becomes a pleasure."

m Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), The Importance of Being Earnest (1895).

 

 

think: 

"I think, therefore I am."

m RenŽ Descartes (1596-1650), Discourse on Method (1637).

 

 

think historically:

"A historian is a prophet in reverse."
m Friedrich von Schlegel (1772-1829), AthenŠum, I, 'Fragmente.'

 

 

COURSE EVALUATION CRITERIA

 

This course is organized around the readings, lectures, and discussions.  Consequently, the student is expected to read, attend, and participate.  The grade is composed of four components:

 

 

(25%) Exam 1  - on introductory materials, Plato, Aristotle, and Machiavelli.

 

 

(25%) Exam 2- on introductory materials, Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau.

 

 

(40%) Exam 3 – on Mill, and cumulative and comparative analysis of entire course.

 

 

(10%) Participation - attendance, participation in discussion, completion of incidental assignments.

 

The student must receive a passing grade in each component to pass the course.

 

If you believe that you may have a disability requiring accommodation please contact

Disability Services, Baxter Hall, Phone: (503) 370-6471, (TT) (503) 375-5383.

Retroactive accommodation will not be possible.

 

 

 

REQUIRED COURSE READINGS

It is important that the student complete the assigned reading and take the time to reflect on the meaning of the reading, before coming to class.  All required readings are available at the WU Bookstore.  Books can be purchased elsewhere; however, it is important that the same publication edition be obtained.

 

 

Plato. The Republic.

(Trans.) G.M. Grube and C.D.C Reeve. Indianapolis: Hackett, 1992.

 

 

Aristotle. Politics.

(Trans.) C.D.C Reeve. Indianapolis: Hackett, 1998.

 

 

Niccolo Machiavelli. Selected Political Writings.

(Ed. and Trans.) David Wootton.  Indianapolis: Hackett, 1994.

 

 

Hobbes, Thomas. Leviathan.

(Ed.) Richard Tuck. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 1991.

 

 

Locke. John. Political Writings.

(Ed. and Trans.) David Wootton.  Indianapolis: Hackett, 1994.

 

 

Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. The Basic Political Writings.

(Trans.) David A. Cress. (Intro.) Peter Gay. Indianapolis: Hackett, 1987

 

 

Mill, John Stuart. On Liberty and other writings.

(Ed.) Stefan Collini. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 1989.

 

 

 

 

DATE

CLASS

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Mon Jan 14

Introduction    Political Philosophy     Assignment 1

Wed Jan 16

History and Historiography      Assignment 2

Fri Jan 18

Author, Text, Context

Mon Jan 21

MLK – No Classes after 12.30

 

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PLATO (428-348BC)

Republic

Ancient Athens

 

Wed Jan 23

No Class

Fri Jan 25

 Plato, what is justice?: pp.1-93.

Mon Jan 28

ordering the just and gendered polis: pp.94-111, 119-146.

Wed Jan 30

philosophy and the philosopher-king: pp.146-194, 209-212.

Fri Feb 1

philosophy and the philosopher-king, the cave: pp.146-194, 209-212.

Mon Feb 4

The soul and democratic decadence: pp.213-253, 257-267, 276-292.

 

 

AppleMark

 

ARISTOTLE (384-322BC)

 

Politics

 

Empire of Alexander

 

Wed Feb 6

 Aristotle, causation, man is a political animal: pp.1-64.

 

            Aristotle on Plato

Fri Feb 8

the best possible state: pp.116-7, 191-242.

Mon Feb 11

making the most of real politics: pp.65-91, 95-104, 110-1, 118-120.

Wed Feb 13