PH 355A Political Philosophy (D)
Spring 2015 – 3 Credit
Dr. Edward Macierowski
Department: Philosophy
Meeting Time: TR 2:25-3:40 p.m. , Ferrell Academic Center
A. Course Objective: The goal of this course is to acquaint students with the chief types of political regime and to develop criteria for evaluating each. The further goal is to consider which of these types of regime, if any, is most conducive to the development of good human beings and to consider the problem of how to be both a good human being and a good citizen.
B. Course Description: Political philosophy is an analysis of the foundations of political society and authority made in the light of ethics and man's search for happiness. It includes a discussion of the broad variety of political organizations as they are related both to this foundation and the varying human condition, as well as the relationship of the ideal or utopian to practical life. (Prerequisite: PH 175 or PH 231. PH 325, Ethics, strongly recommended.). (PI)
C. 1. Required Texts:
http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/phl302/texts/hobbes/leviathan-contents.html (Free on-line version of Hobbes' Leviathan).
Alan Bloom's translation of The Republic of Plato (2nd ed. ISBN 9780465069354 Basic Books)
Aristotle's Politics, transl. Peter Simpson (ISBN 0-8078-4637-6)
Aquinas Commentary on Aristotle's Politics, tr. Richard J. Regan (ISBN-13: 978-0-87220-869-8)
http://dhspriory.org/thomas/ (Free on-line version of Aquinas's works, including the Treatise on Law from St. Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologiae, Part 1-2, questions 90-114)
Xenophon, Hiero, translation included in Leo Strauss, On Tyranny: Revised and Expanded Edition Including the Strauss-Kojève Correspondence (1991 ISBN 0-02-912735-1)
C. 2. Recommended Texts
Thomas L. Pangle and Timothy W. Burns, The Key Texts of Political Philosophy: An Introduction (Cambridge 2015: ISBN 978-0-521-18500-4)
Douglas Kries, The Problem of Natural Law (2007, ppbk 2008: ISBN-13: 978-0-7391-2037-8)
Augustine: Political Writings, translated by Michael W. Tkacz and Douglas Kries (ISBN-13: 978-0-87220-210-8)
Michel Schooyans, The Totalitarian Trend of Liberalism (ISBN 1-887567-05-4)
Leo Strauss, Liberalism, Ancient and Modern (New York: Basic Books, 1968)
-----, What is Political Philosophy? (ISBN 0-8371-6802-3)
----- and Joseph Cropsey, History of Political Philosophy, 3rd ed. (ISBN 0-226-77710-3)
Ernest L. Fortin, Dissent and Philosophy in the Middle Ages: Dante and His Precursors (2002 translation of 1981 French original; ISBN 0-7391-0326-1)
Joshua Parens and Joseph C. Macfarland, eds., Medieval Political Philosophy: A Sourcebook, 2nd ed.(2011 ISBN 978-0-8014-7681-5).
Yves R. Simon, A General Theory of Authority (1962 ISBN 0-268-01004-8)
D. Course Requirements and Grading
Participation (50%): Student participation is the most important component of this class, and thus is worth 50% of the final grade. Daily oral and written participation will both be considered.
1. Each participant will prepare or transcribe an outline of Plato's Republic in tabular form and exchange notes with the rest of the class (5%). (If you transcribe, be sure to include the publication data of your source; if you use only the text and your own wits, you may offer one of your own. I have those by Diès, Kurz, and Voegelin in the margin of my first edition of Bloom's translation.)*
2. Reaction Paper on Aristotle: What does it mean that man is by nature a political animal?
(5%)
3. Transcribe or create an outline of Aristotle's Politics—maximum two pages (Simpson offers an outline on pp. xxxix-xliv.) or of Hobbes's Leviathan. (5%) Half the class is to work on Hobbes (default: last names beginning with ACEGIKMOQSUWY), the other (default: BDFHJLNPRTVXZ) on Aristotle.
4. Reaction Paper on Hobbes: What is the State of Nature according to Hobbes? (5%)
5. Compare and contrast the claim that the life of man is "nasty poor, brutish, and short" with the claim "man is by nature a political animal." In what sense is each or either of these claims true? Why? Can both be true? If so, how? Explain. (5%)
6. In what way does the political regime govern philosophy? (5%) Suggestion—Compare Aristotle & Aquinas on the Ethics (first day of class) with the Hobbes readings.
7. Provide a one-page outline Xenophon's Hiero. (5%)
8. What criteria are needed to evaluate the excellence of a political regime? (5%)
9. What is the role of conscience in articulating natural law according to Aquinas? (5%)
10. What is the role of freedom of conscience in Hobbes? Why? (5%)
Suggested essay or final examination questions. (This list is not exhaustive.)
Describe the types of political regime discussed in this course. What is the best political regime? Why?
How does classical political philosophy differ from modern political science? Pay special attention to the role of the so-called "fact-value dichotomy."
What difference, if any, does a philosopher's holding a "nominalist" or a "realist" position on the question of the entitative status of universals make with respect to his political philosophy? How so? Why?
What difference, if any, does a philosopher's understanding of "nature" make to his political philosophy? How so? Why?
What difference, if any, does a philosopher's understanding of the notions of "being" or "one" or "good" make regarding his political philosophy? How so? Why? (These issues are particularly important for understanding Aristotle's critique in Politics II, of the arguments given by Socrates in the Republic of Plato.)
What relation, if any, is there between ethics or moral philosophy and politics? How so? Why?
What difference, if any, does the claim of religious revelation make to the political order? How so? Why?
What difference, if any, does a philosopher's understanding of human nature or the role of the human person make to his political philosophy? How so? Why?
Research Paper or Essay: 30%. Use MLA style and the Research Paper Grading Analysis, 8-10 pp., including notes, based on one or more of the required or recommended readings. Due 21 April, with one letter grade drop for each day late.
Final Examination: 20%. Comprehensive.
For ease of calculation, each component can be multiplied by ten to yield a total of 1000 points for the course.
E. Attendance
If a student is absent for more than 3 classes, he or she will be asked to drop the class.
F. Office Hours
Office: 322 FLC. MWF 12-12:50 p.m.; TR 4:00-5:00 p.m. Other times by appointment only.
Office telephone number: 913-360-7497; email address:
[email protected].
G. Benedictine College complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) that requires reasonable accommodations for individuals with documented disabilities and/or special needs that may affect their performance in the class. Students should contact the instructor to discuss specific requirements and contact Julie Romano in the Academic Assistance Center:
[email protected] .
H. Please note the policy regarding Academic Honesty in the Benedictine College Course Catalogue. Violations of the policy have sanctions ranging from failure for a particular assignment and referral to the Dean's Office all the way to expulsion.
I. Grading Scale: A 94-100, A- 90-93; B+ 87-89, B 84-86, B- 80-83; C+ 77-79, C 74-76, C- 70-73; D 60-69; F 59 and below.
J. Course Outline:
Date
TR
Sessions Remaining
Course Material
Homework
Week 0 (2015 Thurs Jan 15 )
Introduction, Syllabus
Handout from MPP: Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics with Aquinas's comment on Book I, Lessons 1-3.
What kind of science is politics?
Which sciences does politics use and how?
Read Plato's Republic Book I
Ex. #1: Prepare or transcribe an outline of Plato's Republic in tabular form and exchange notes with the rest of the class (5%).
Week 1
T Jan 20
Collect Ex. #1: outlines of Plato's Republic
Discuss Republic I
Read Republic II
R Jan 22
Read Republic III
F Jan 23
Discuss Republic II
Week 2
T Jan 27
Read Republic IV
R Jan 29
Read Republic V
Read Republic VI
Week 3
T Feb 3
Read Republic VII
R Feb 4
Read Republic VIII
Read Republic IX
Week 4
T Feb 17
Read Republic X
R Feb 19
Read Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics 10.9 (Simpson, pp. 1-7.)
Week 5
T Feb 24
Read Aristotle's Politics 1.
Ex. # 2: What does it mean that man is by nature a political animal?
(5%)
R Feb 26
Collect Ex #2. Reaction Paper on Aristotle: What does it mean that man is by nature a political animal? (5%)
Discuss Aristotle's Politics 1
Read Aristotle's Politics 2.
Read Aristotle's Politics 3.
Week 6
T Feb 24
Read Aristotle's Politics 4.
Read Aristotle's Politics 5.
R Feb 26
Read Aristotle's Politics 6.
Week 7
T March 3
Read Aristotle's Politics 7.
R March 5
Read Aristotle's Politics 8.
Week 8
Spring Break – No Classes
March 9-13
N.B. The deadline for the term paper is 21 April.
Ex. #3. Transcribe or create an outline of Aristotle's Politics—maximum two pages (Simpson offers an outline on pp. xxxix-xliv.) or of Hobbes's Leviathan. (5%) (Half the class to work on Hobbes (default: last names beginning with ACEGIKMOQSUWY), the other (default: BDFHJLNPRTVXZ) on Aristotle.)
Week 9
T March 17
Collect Ex. #3 outlines on Hobbes or Aristotle. (Half the class to work on Hobbes, the other on Aristotle.)
Ex. # 4: What is the State of Nature according to Hobbes? (5%)
R March 19
Collect state-of-nature reflections (Ex. #4)
Ex. # 5. Compare and contrast the claim that the life of man is "nasty poor, brutish, and short" with the claim "man is by nature a political animal." In what sense is each or either of these claims true? Why? Can both be true? If so, how? Explain. (5%)
POSSIBLE ABSENCE OF PROFESSOR AROUND 21 MARCH; IF SO, USE SUBSTITUTE OR, IF POSSIBLE, MEET ON 6 OR 7 APRIL 4 P.M.
Week 10
T Mar 24
Read Hobbes, Leviathan Part I (chapters 1-16): Of Man
R Mar 26
Collect Ex. #5 Comparison of Aristotle and Hobbes on the nature of man/ or man in the state of nature.
Read Hobbes, Leviathan Part 2 (chapters 17-31): Of Common-wealth
Read Hobbes, Leviathan Part 3 (chapters 32-43): Of the Christian Commonwealth
Read Hobbes, Leviathan Part 4 (chapters 44-47 and review and conclusion): Of the Kingdom of Darkness
Week 11
T Mar 31
Read Aquinas's Commentary on Aristotle's Politics, Prologue and Book 1
Ex. #6. In what way does the political regime govern philosophy? (5%)
Easter Break 2015
No classes April 2-6
Week 12
T April 7
Collect Ex. #6: In what way does the political regime govern philosophy? (5%)
Class discussion: What are the chief types of political regime? How do they develop? Compare Plato and Aristotle.
Read Aquinas's Commentary on Aristotle's Politics, Book 2.
Pay special attention to Aristotle's critique of Socrates' arguments in Plato's Republic.
W April 15
Discovery Day 2015
No classes
POSSIBLE ABSENCE OF PROFESSOR 9-12 APRIL; IF SO, USE SUBSTITUTE OR RESCHEDULE CLASS FROM THURS TO MEET FOR AN EXTRA HOUR ON 7 APRIL 4 P.M.
R April 9
Discussion: Be prepared to summarize, discuss, and evaluate Aristotle's critique of communism.
Read Aquinas's Commentary on Aristotle's Politics, Book 3
Week 13
T April 21
TERM PAPER DUE. ONE LETTER GRADE LOSS FOR EACH DAY LATE.
Discussion of Aristotle's Politics Book 3: What is the relationship between the good man and the good citizen?
Read Xenophon's Hiero.
Ex. #7: Provide a one-page outline Xenophon's Hiero. (5%)
R April 23
Collect Ex. #7.
Discussion: The problem of tyranny
Ex. #8. What criteria are needed to evaluate the excellence of a political regime? (5%)
Week 14
T April 28
Collect and discuss Ex. #8
Read Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, 1-2, qq. 90-94 on law
Ex. #9: What is the role of conscience in articulating natural law according to Aquinas? (5%)
R April 30
Collect and discuss Ex. #9.
Discussion: What is law?
Review Hobbes.
Ex. #10. What is the role of freedom of conscience in Hobbes? Why? (5%)
Week 15
T May 5
Collect and discuss Ex. #10.
General review: What criteria are appropriate to evaluate the types of political regime? Why?
Week 16
Finals – No Classes
