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POLI 212 (TH) WESTERN POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY Fall
2011 MWF
10:20-11:20am ETN
209 |
Prof. Sammy Basu Office:
Sml 317 Hours:
MW 1:50-3:00pm or by appointment or by appointment at x6264 |
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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 |
NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI |
THOMAS HOBBES (1588-1679) |
JOHN LOCKE
(1632-1704) |
JEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAU (1712-1778) |
JOHN STUART MILL (1806-1873) |
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STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES Objectives of this course
include improving student's abilities: |
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To better understand the subfield of Ôpolitical
philosophy/political theoryÕ |
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-- more aware of distinct philosophical
perspectives, positions, or schools |
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-- able to better utilize the language, concepts
or discourse of political philosophy |
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To be able to Ôthink historicallyÕ |
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-- more aware of distinct historiographical
schools |
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PEDAGOGY |
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"Let the tutor make his charge pass
everything through a sieve and lodge nothing in his head on mere authority
and trust: let not Aristotle's principles be principles to him any more than
those of the Stoics or Epicureans. Let this variety of ideas be set before
him: he will choose if he can; if not he will remain in doubt."
Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592), Essays, 'Of the education of
children.' |
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COURSE EVALUATION CRITERIA |
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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: |
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The student must receive a
passing grade in each component to pass the course. |
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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. |
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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. |
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Plato.
The Republic. (Trans.) G.M. Grube and
C.D.C Reeve. Indianapolis: Hackett, 1992. |
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Aristotle. Politics. (Trans.) C.D.C Reeve.
Indianapolis: Hackett, 1998. |
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Niccolo Machiavelli. Selected
Political Writings. (Ed. and Trans.) David
Wootton. Indianapolis: Hackett,
1994. |
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Hobbes, Thomas. Leviathan.
(Ed.) Richard Tuck. New
York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 1991. |
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Locke. John. Political Writings. (Ed. and Trans.) David
Wootton. Indianapolis: Hackett,
1994. |
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Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. The Basic
Political Writings. (Trans.) David A. Cress.
(Intro.) Peter Gay. Indianapolis: Hackett, 1987 |
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Mill, John Stuart. On Liberty
and other writings. (Ed.) Stefan Collini. New
York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 1989. |
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DATE |
CLASS |
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Wed 8/31 |
Introduction
Political
Philosophy Assignment 1 |
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Fri 9/2 |
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Mon 9/5 |
No Class - Labor Day |
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Wed 9/7 |
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PLATO |
Republic
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Ancient Athens
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Fri 9/9 |
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Mon 9/12 |
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Wed 9/14 |
philosophy and the
philosopher-king: pp.146-194, 209-212. |
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Fri 9/16 |
and the cave:
pp.146-194, 209-212. |
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Mon 9/19 |
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Wed 9/21 |
and democratic decadence: pp. 276-292. |
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ARISTOTLE |
Politics
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Empire of Alexander
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Fri 9/23 |
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Mon 9/26 |
the best possible state:
pp.114, 191-242. |
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Wed 9/28 |
making the most of real
politics: pp.65-91, 95-104, 110-1, 116-120. |
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Fri 9/30 |
preventing worse:
pp.134-145, 152-8, 176-184. |
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Mon 10/3 |
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NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI (1469-1527) |
The Prince and the Discourses |
Renaissance Italy
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Wed 10/5 |
Ancient, The Middle
Ages and Machiavelli
and Life |
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the
art of the state: The Prince,
pp.1-44. |
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Fri 10/7 |
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Mon 10/10 |
republican
domestic politics: The Discourses,
Bk.I, pp.81-158. |
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Wed 10/12 |
republican
foreign politics: The Discourses,
Bks. II-III, pp.158-217. |
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Fri 10/14 |
thinking
historically about Machiavelli
and review,
really,
É |
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Mon 10/17 |
Exam 1 Grade
Dist |
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THOMAS HOBBES (1588-1679) |
Leviathan
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Stuart England
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Wed 10/19 |
Hobbes, context, frontispiece,
method, pp.3, 491, 9-14, |
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Fri 10/21 |
No Class - Mid-semester
day |
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Mon 10/24 |
Men
and madness: pp.24-55, 62, 69-86. |
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Wed 10/26 |
natural
condition, natural laws, and the birth of Leviathan: 86-145. |
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Fri 10/28 |
liberty,
law, order, and monsters:
pp.145-54, 164-74, 183-191, 198-207, 221-39, 252-4, 483-91. |
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JOHN LOCKE (1632-1704) |
Two Treatises of Government |
England (and America)
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Mon 10/31 |
Locke, patriarchy:
pp.242-262. |
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Wed 11/2 |
the state of nature, property,
and power: pp.262-299, 210-11, 230-31. |
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Fri 11/4 |
consent, common-wealth,
change: pp. 300-316,319-338, 342-347. .
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Mon 11/7 |
conquest, and complaint:
pp.349-387. |
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Wed 11/9 |
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JEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAU (1712-1778) |
The Discourses and the Social Contract |
France and Switzerland
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Fri 11/11 |
Rousseau,
enlightenment and de-moralization:
First Discourse, pp.1-21. |
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Mon 11/14 |
natural man, inequality, unhappiness: Second Discourse, pp.25-81, 94-95. |
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Wed 11/16 |
TBA |
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Fri 11/18 |
TBA |
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Mon 11/21 |
liberty and illiberality: The Social Contract, pp.141-165, 170-205, 219-227. |
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Wed 11/23 |
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Fri
11/25 |
No Class - T-day break |
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Mon 11/28 |
Exam
2 (grade dist) |
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JOHN STUART MILL (1806-1873) |
On Liberty and The Subjection of Women |
London, England
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Wed 11/30 |
Mill, liberty,
and freedom of thought, caveats: On Liberty, pp.5-22, 23-36. |
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Fri 12/2 |
freedom
elaborated On Liberty, pp.37-55. |
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Mon 12/5 |
individuality,
authority, and harm: On Liberty,
pp.56-115. |
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Wed 12/7 |
women:
On Women, pp.119, 122-3, 128-152,
156-169, 184, 195-200, 212-7. A
womanÕs right, BEP
v AM thinking
historically about Mill |
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Fri 12/9 Sun
12/11 |
Review
Session: 7-9pm, Smu 314 |
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T (13 Dec) |
8-11am Exam 3 |
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