JUNIATA COLLEGE



DEPARTMENT OF POLITICS

JUNIATA COLLEGE

PS 222

Western Political Thought

Spring, 2009 Jack Barlow

11:00-11:55 MWF; 12-12:55 T Good 315

Good 422 641-3651

Course Description

This course is designed to acquaint students with the basic elements of Western political thought. We shall survey and examine the contributions of major political thinkers and their political ideas, from the Greek polis to the modern nation-state. The course will focus on a number of the enduring questions of political thought, e.g., the nature of the good life and the best regime, the relation between freedom and authority, and the (possible) tension between equality and liberty.

Course Objectives

1. To acquaint students with the history of Western political ideas;

2. To examine how -- and whether -- these ideas become operative principles of communities, states, and systems;

3. To provide students with balanced views of different political ideas that have shaped the world;

4. To help to develop an ability to read critically and thoughtfully;

5. To help students become better equipped to consider such perennial questions as: What is a good society? Who should rule within a society? What is a (or the) good life?

Required Text

Michael L. Morgan, ed. Classics of Moral and Political Theory, Fourth Edition (Hackett)

Course Requirements

(1) Participation. Students are expected to attend every class having read the assigned material and prepared to participate in class discussion.

At the first class meeting, the class will divide into smaller study groups. Each group should meet regularly to review and discuss the readings; most Tuesdays will be set aside for this purpose. In addition, each group will be responsible for preparing answers to questions, and for posing a question for class discussion from time to time; the specific timetable for this will be discussed in class.

Students will also be expected to participate in such additional activities or guest lectures, etc., as are assigned by the instructor.

Attendance is expected; an unreasonable number of absences ("reasonable" as defined by the instructor) will clearly have an impact on the perceived quality of your participation in class.

(2) Written assignments. Each student will be required to write three papers. The first will be no more than five pages (1250 words), the second no more than four pages (1000 words), and the third no more than six pages (1500 words) long. The topics are detailed on p. 5; the instructor reserves the right to change these assignments, but will not change topics within three weeks of the due date.

Late papers will be penalized 10% of the grade; papers more than 72 hours (3 days) late will not be accepted. A “late paper” is one received after 5:00:00 PM on the due date.

Each paper may be rewritten, provided that the original was submitted on time and shows serious effort. The grade for the rewrite will replace the original grade. The rewrite must be submitted, together with the original paper, no more than seven days after papers are returned.

In writing your papers, you must show that you can analyze, visualize, conceptualize, and clearly formulate the knowledge you have acquired and relate that knowledge to the ideas or works under investigation. Your syntax, grammar, style, and composition will also be a factor. Quality counts for more than quantity, and clarity is more important than impressing the instructor with your vocabulary.

(3) Examinations. There will be a take-home final examination.

(4) Withdrawal from the course. Withdrawal will not be permitted after the mid-term date.

(5) Academic Honesty. All work submitted in this course must be the student's own and prepared specifically for this course. Students are reminded of the academic honesty policy of the college, which is widely and easily available, and that this is to be followed without exception. A student having any questions about this policy should consult with the instructor. Submission of work for credit which is not the student's own will result in that student receiving a failing grade in the course.

Grading

Grades will be weighted as follows: Class/study group participation, 15%; first paper, 15%; second paper 15%; third paper 25%; final exam, 30%.

Schedule (all page numbers refer to the Morgan book)

1/19 M Introduction

1/20 T no class

1/21 W Plato, Apology (entire), pp. 46-63

1/23 F Plato, Apology, day 2

1/26 M Plato, Republic Book I, pp. 75-93

1/27 T study group meetings to discuss paper

1/28 W Plato, Republic Book II, pp. 93-110

1/30 F Plato, Republic Book III, pp. 110-130

FIRST PAPER DUE

2/2 M Plato, Republic Book IV, pp. 130-147

2/3 T Plato, Republic Book V, pp. 147-169

2/4 W Plato, Republic Book VI, pp. 169-186

2/6 F Plato, Republic Book VII, pp. 186-202

2/9 M Plato, Republic Book VIII, pp. 203-220

2/10 T study groups

2/11 W Plato, Republic Book IX, pp. 220-234

213 F Plato, Republic Book X, pp. 234-251

2/16 M Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Bk. I, pp. 255-265

2/17 T study groups

2/18 W Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Bk. V, pp. 295-307

2/20 F Aristotle, Politics Books I and II, pp. 361-379

2/23 M Aristotle, Politics Book III, pp. 379-396

2/24 T study groups

2/25 W Aristotle, Politics, Books IV, VII, pp. 396-416

2/27 F Aquinas, On Kingship, Summa Theologica, pp. 457-476

3/2 M Machiavelli, The Prince, introduction, chs. 1-7, pp. 482-495

3/3 T study groups

3/4 W Machiavelli, The Prince, chs. 8-17, pp. 495-511

3/6 F Machiavelli, The Prince, chs. 18-26, pp. 511-526

Spring Break

3/16 M Hobbes, Leviathan, Introduction; Part 1, chs. 1, 5, 6, 11

3/17 T study groups

3/18 W Hobbes, Leviathan, Part 1, chs. 13, 14; Part 2, chs. 17, 18, 21

3/20 F extra day for catching up

SECOND PAPER DUE

3/23 M Locke, Second Treatise, chs. 1-5, pp. 684-698

3/24 T study groups

3/25 W Locke, Second Treatise, chs. 6-9, pp. 698-719

3/27 F Locke, Second Treatise, chs. 10-15, pp. 719-731

3/30 M Locke, Second Treatise, chs. 17-19, pp. 736-749

3/31 T study groups

4/1 W Rousseau, Discourse on Inequality, preface, part 1, pp. 782-800

4/3 F Rousseau, Discourse on Inequality, part 2, pp. 800-815

4/6 M Rousseau, On the Social Contract, Book I, chs. 1-8; Book II, chs. 1-6

4/7 T study groups

4/8 W Kant, Grounding of the Metaphysics of Morals, preface, first section, pp. 893-903

4/10 F no class

4/13 M Kant, Grounding of the Metaphysics of Morals, second section, pp. 903-924

4/14 T study groups

4/15 W Kant, Grounding of the Metaphysics of Morals, third section, pp. 924-933

4/17 F J.S. Mill, On Liberty, chs. 1, 3, pp. 936-943, 963-972

THIRD PAPER DUE

4/20 M J.S. Mill, On Liberty, ch. 4, pp. 972-982

4/21 T Marx, “Alienated Labor,” pp. 1086-1092

4/22 W Research Day; students required to attend Symposium

4/24 F Marx, “On the Jewish Question,” pp. 1093-1108

4/27 M Marx/Engels, Manifesto of the Communist Party, parts 1, 2, and 4; pp. 1109- 1122 and 1127-28

4/28 T study groups

4/29 W Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morality, preface, First Treatise, pp. 1142-1160

5/1 F Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morality, Second Treatise, pp. 1160-1179

5/4 M Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morality, Third Treatise, pp. 1179-1209

5/5 T review and conclusions (if any)

Final Exam due date/time TBA

* * * * * * * * *

First Paper: Plato's Apology of Socrates

Due Friday, January 30

In a clearly and concisely written paper of no more than five typed, double-spaced pages, address the following issue:

In the Apology Socrates makes his defense against the charges leveled by Anytus, Meletus, and the others. Your job is to write a speech for the prosecution.

You should focus specifically and in detail on the following issue: Why is it treason to encourage young men to ask questions about the city’s values?

Some subsidiary issues might be: What does Socrates do that “corrupts” the youth of Athens? Why is his argument “weaker,” and why does it seem more attractive, on the surface? Could we not say that he is annoying but harmless?

Rhetorically, since you are speaking first, how will you prepare your audience for listening to Socrates’ defense? What kinds of things should they be on their guard against?

A cautionary note: although questions of religion are involved here, you should avoid basing your argument on religion. In fact, unless you are very sure that you understand the differences between Greek religion and modern religions, you should avoid the issue entirely.

Second Paper: Machiavelli on Foreign Policy

Due Friday March 20

You are James Jones. In an clearly written paper (consider your audience) of no more than four typed, double-spaced pages of AT LEAST 12 point type, give the President of the United States your candid advice on what to do about Pakistan, based on your understanding of Machiavelli’s Prince. The paper should be in the form of a memorandum, addressed to “POTUS” and bearing prominently the notation “EYES ONLY.”

Third Paper: Locke and Aristotle

Due Friday April 17

In his Politics, Aristotle claims that there is a “ruling principle” to be found in all natural relationships, including human ones. What does Aristotle believe this principle to be? Compare and contrast this view of politics, and its implications, with that of John Locke. In particular, if there is no ruling principle among human beings, where does just government come from, and why?

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