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POLI
212 (TH) WESTERN
POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY Spring 2013 MWF 1:50-2:50pm EAT 209 |
Prof
Sammy Basu PhD Office: Sml
317 Hours: MWF 10:00-11:30am 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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GOALS
OF THE COURSE: STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES Objectives
of this course include improving student's abilities: |
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To better understand the subfield of political
philosophy/political theory |
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To become more familiar with a wider range of
historically rooted explanatory and ethical theories of politics |
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To be able to utilize more sophisticated
conceptualizations upon contemporary political problems |
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To be able to think historically |
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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 |
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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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Exams
focus on key concepts, arguments, images, and comparative analysis of
historiographical approaches. 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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Mon 1/14 |
Introduction to Political
Philosophy |
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Wed 1/16 |
Political Philosophy
continued and Assignment 1 |
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Fri 1/18 |
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Mon 1/21 |
No Class – No
Class: Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration |
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PLATO
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Republic
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Ancient Athens
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Wed 1/23 |
Author, Text, Context
Plato,
what is justice?:
2 tests,
pp.1-93. |
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Fri 1/25 |
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Add/Drop
Deadline |
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Mon 1/28 |
philosophy,
the philosopher-king and the
cave: pp.146-194, 209-212. |
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Wed 1/30 |
regimes, democratic
decadence,
and the soul:
pp.213-253, 257-292. |
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Fri 2/1 |
thinking historically
about Plato |
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ARISTOTLE
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Politics
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Empire of Alexander
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Mon 2/4 |
Aristotle,
causation,
man is a political animal, and Aristotle
on Plato: pp.1-64. |
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Wed 2/6 |
the best possible state:
pp.114, 191-242. |
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Fri 2/8 |
making the most of
real politics: pp.65-91, 95-104, 110-1, 116-120. |
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Mon 2/11 |
preventing worse:
pp.134-145, 152-8, 176-184. |
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Aristotle
on Regimes, and
thinking historically about Aristotle |
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NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI (1469-1527) |
The
Prince
and the Discourses |
Renaissance Italy
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Wed 2/13 |
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 2/15 |
cruel
to be kind: The Prince,
pp.45-80. |
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Mon 2/28 |
republican
domestic politics: The Discourses, Bk.I, pp.81-158. |
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Wed 3/2 |
republican
foreign politics: The Discourses,
Bks. II-III, pp.158-217. |
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thinking
historically about Machiavelli |
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Fri 2/22 |
Review, no really! |
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Mon 2/25 |
Exam 1 Grade Dist CR/NCR Deadline |
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THOMAS HOBBES
(1588-1679) |
Leviathan
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Stuart England
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Wed 2/27 |
Hobbes,
commonwealth,
frontispiece,
method, pp.3, 491, 9-14, |
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Fri 3/1 |
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Mon 3/4 |
natural
condition, natural laws, and the birth of Leviathan: 86-145. |
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Wed 3/6 |
liberty,
law, order, and monsters:
pp.145-54, 164-74, 183-191, 198-207, 221-39, 252-4, 483-91. |
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Fri 3/8 |
thinking
historically about Hobbes |
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JOHN
LOCKE (1632-1704) |
Two Treatises of
Government |
England (and America)
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Mon 3/11 |
Locke,
patriarchy:
pp.242-262. |
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Wed 3/13 |
the state of nature, property,
and power: pp.262-299, 210-11, 230-31. |
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Fri 3/15 |
consent,
common-wealth, change: pp. 300-316,319-338, 342-347.
Or . |
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Mon 3/18 |
conquest, and
complaint: pp.349-387. |
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Wed 3/20 |
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Thu 3/21 |
Withdrawal
Deadline |
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Fri 3/22 |
Discussion |
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M3/25-F3/29 |
Spring
Break |
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JEAN-JACQUES
ROUSSEAU (1712-1778) |
The Discourses and the Social Contract |
France and Switzerland
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Mon 4/1 |
Rousseau,
, enlightenment and
de-moralization:
First Discourse, pp.1-21. |
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Wed 4/3 |
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Fri 4/5 |
natural
man, inequality, unhappiness: Second
Discourse, pp.25-81, 94-95. |
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Mon 4/8 |
liberty
and illiberality: The Social Contract,
LEF
pp.141-165, 170-205, 219-227. |
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Wed 4/10 |
thinking
historically about Rousseau |
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Fri 4/12 |
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Mon 4/15 |
Exam 2 (grade
dist) |
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Wed 4/17 |
No Class: Student Scholarship Recognition Day |
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JOHN
STUART MILL (1806-1873) |
On Liberty and The Subjection of Women |
London, England
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Fri 4/19 |
Mill,
liberty, and freedom of thought, caveats:
On Liberty, pp.5-23. |
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Mon 4/22 |
freedom
elaborated On Liberty, pp.37-55. |
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Wed 4/24 |
individuality,
authority, and harm: On Liberty,
pp.56-115. Freedom 1,
2,
3,
4,
5, |
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Fri 4/26 |
women:
On Women, pp.119, 122-3, 128-152,
156-169, 184, 195-200, 212-7. A
womanÕs right, BEP v AM |
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Mon 4/29 |
SAIs, thinking historically about Mill |
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Wed 5/1 |
Review
11:05am-12:50pm |
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Fri 5/3 |
2-5pm
Exam 3 |
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