POLITICS 212(TH) HISTORY OF WESTERN POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY

Prof. Sammy Basu

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

THOMAS HOBBES (1588-1679)	JOHN LOCKE (1632-1704)	JEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAU (1712-1778)

The exam is designed to reflect your thoroughness in reading, attentiveness in class, and scrutiny of secondary online materials.

What is political philosophy? What intellectual activities does it involve?

What is historiography? How is ‘mainstream history’ conducted, and what are the problems with its assumptions and preoccupations?

Be prepared to explain and exemplify, using the three authors studied so far, the assumptions and preoccupations of each of the four approaches to the study of history. In other words, how does what one is looking for affect what one finds or needs to explain?

1. Whig History

2. Marxist history

3. Gender history

4. Postmodern history

Be familiar with the broad features of author, text, and context, for each author.

Could you explain what each author has to say in the following categories:

	metaphysics	epistemology	ethics	politics
Hobbes
Locke
Rousseau

Identify each of the following individuals, figures, and events from pictures.

Identify the following items (names, places, concepts) by placing an ‘H’ (for Hobbes), ‘L’ for (Locke), or ’R’ (for Rousseau) next to each of the items with which they are most closely associated.

For some of the following short passages, identify the author and briefly explain (don’t just re-state) the significance of the passage in relation to the author’s larger arguments as well as the wider historical context.

Short Essay Questions.

Questions will address larger issues raised by all three philosophers, e.g.,

§ What is ‘philosophy’? How should one think philosophically about politics?

§ What is ‘justice’? How should one do politics ethically?

§ What is the ‘best’ political regime?

§ What is ‘democracy’? What are its strengths and weaknesses?

§ What is the ‘apex’ of human possibilities? What is the good life?

§ How does each philosopher address God/Religion and Nature as a source of normative authority?

§ How does each philosopher handle property and material ownership in relation to politics?

§ Are you a ‘happy slave’?

§ How does the ‘style of writing’ of each philosopher reflect and/or illuminate their political philosophy?