Claremont Graduate University PP 450: MAJOR WORKS IN POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY Professor Sharon N. Snowiss This is an introductory course to major works in political philosophy. It focuses primarily on the Western Tradition and is organized historically. Class discussions will focus on themes such as nature, justice, equality, and freedom that emerge from the primary texts. However, political philosophy proceeds as a dialogue in which thinkers continually debate their predecessors. We will engage in that debate. The course will be conducted as a seminar. Students are expected to have completed the assigned readings and participate in class discussions. Three short papers (7-10 pages) and a final examination are required to complete the course. The required texts (available at Huntley Book Store) are as follows: Bible Old and New Testaments Several additional primary as well as secondary sources have been placed on reserve at Honnold Library. Packet of Readings for the first class (ereserves) Journals of interest: Political Theory READING ASSIGNMENTS August 31 Introduction I will be at the APSA meetings this week. Please do the readings below for the next class. They are available on electronic reserve at Honnold Library. The password is ssnowiss450. We will discuss these as well as the readings listed for September 7 th . Please focus your reading of the Bible as if it were a political text. What does it have to teach its community about major political assumptions – power, freedom, authority, and institutions? Machiavelli commented that Moses was one of the greatest political heroes. Why? What is Political Philosophy? Leo Strauss, "What Is Political Philosophy" Jaspers, Karl, "The Axial Period," The Origin and Goal of History Hwa & Yol Jung, "Postmodernity, Eurocentrism and the Future of Political Philosophy" from Fred Dallmayr, ed., Border Crossings , Toward a Comparative Political Theory Recommend: Political Theory . Special issue on “What is Political Theory?” Vol 30, No. 4, August 2002 Especially see: The Emergence of Political Philosophy The Judaic Tradition Sept. 7 The Bible , Old Testament Genesis 1-22, 49-50, Exodus, Deuteronomy 1-9, 12, 29-34; Judges 13, 1 Samuel 1-18; 2 Samuel 11-12, 1 Kings 12-14, Isaiah 1-6, 21, 38, 44-45, Jeremiah 1-12, 21-23. Recommend: Bible , Books I-V M. Buber, "Plato and Isaiah" in Buber's Israel and the World , (1948). Voegelin , Israel and Revelation E. Pagels, Adam, Eve and the Serpent . P. Day (ed.), Gender and Difference in Ancient Israel . Chinese Political Thought Sept. 14 Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching , Books I, II Confucius, The Analects (selections) Recommend: Hsiao and Mote, A History of Chinese Political Thought Wm. T. De Barey, ed., Sources of Chinese Traditions , vol. 1 H.G. Creel, Confucius and the Chinese Way Chenyang Li, The Tao Encounters the West , Explorations in Comparative Philosophy Greek Political Thought Sept. 21-28 Aristophones, The Clouds Plato, The Apology and Crito Plato, Republic Epistles , 7th and 8th Letters (ereserves) Recommend: Plato, The Laws Gregory Vlastos, Plato II , a Collection of Critical Essays Gregory Vlastos, Socrates Ironist & Moral Philosopher S. Okin, Part I "Plato" in Women in Western Political Thought N. Bluestone, Women and the Ideal Society A. Saxonhouse, Women in the History of Political Thought , chp. 2 & 3. E. Keuls, The Reign of the Phallus , Sexual Politics in Ancient Athens Leo Strauss, The City and Man Oct. 5-12 Aristotle, The Politics Recommend: Barker, The Political Thought of Plato and Aristotle Various chapters on Aristotle in Okin, Saxonhouse, Wolin, Strauss and Cropsey, etc. See list of secondary sources. Brown, Wendy "Ancient Greece . Arendt and Aristotle" in Manhood and Politics , A Feminist Reading of Political Theory Oct. 17 1st Paper Due The Roman Empire Oct. 19 Cicero, The Republic and The Laws Epictetus, The Enchiridion Recommend: Tacitus, The Histories Marcus Aurelius, Meditations Polybius, The Histories Letters of Pliny The Younger and The Emperor Trajan Christianity and Philosophy: The Synthesis Oct. 26 The Bible : New Testament The Gospel According to John Acts of the Apostles (selections) Letters of Paul to: Romans 1st Corinthians Augustine, The Political Writings of St. Augustine (selections) Aquinas, Introduction to St. Thomas Aquinas (selections) Recommend: Cochrane, Christianity and Classical Culture M. Warner, Alone of All Her Sex H. Arendt, Love in St. Augustine Oct. 31 2nd Paper Due NEW PATHS: POLITICS, PHILOSOPHY AND PHILANTHROPY Nov. 2 Machiavelli, The Prince and the Discourses Descartes, The Discourse on Method and Meditations Recommend: N. Machiavelli, Mandragola H. Pitkin, Fortune Is a Woman S. DeGrazia, Machiavelli in Hell M. Fleisher (ed.), Machiavelli and the Nature of Political Thought W. Doney (ed.), Descartes A Collection of Critical Essays J. Pocock, The Machiavellilan Moment Christine de Pizan, The Book of the City of Ladies Erica Horth, Cartesian Women Social Contract Nov. 9-16 Hobbes, Leviathan Locke, 2nd Treatise on Government Rousseau, 1st and 2nd Discourses The Social Contract Mill, On Liberty and Utilitarianism Recommend: Locke, Letter Concerning Toleration Ashcraft , Revolutionary Politics and Locke's Two Treatises of Government Wollstonecraft, Vindication of the Rights of Woman Jacobson, Pride and Solace Rawls, Theory of Justice Hirshman, The Passion and the Interests Macpherson, Possessive Individualism K. Minogue, The Liberal Mind Wolff, Marcuse and Moore , A Critique of Pure Tolerance Mill, On the Subjection of Women Nov. 21 3rd Paper Due Nov. 23 Thanksgiving History and Dialectic Nov. 30 Hegel, Philosophy of Right Tucker, The Marx-Engels Reader Recommend: Kaufman, Hegel's Political Philosophy C. Taylor, Hegel and Modern Society K. Lowith, From Hegel to Nietzsche Tucker, Philosophy and Myth in K. Marx Meszaros, Marx's Theory of Alienation Ollman, Alienation Avineri, Marx's Socialism M. Jay, Marxism and Totality Balbus, Marxism and Domination S. Firestone, The Dialectic of Sex B. Weinbaum, The Curious Courtship of Women's Liberation and Socialism A. Ferguson, Sexual Democracy Revolt, Revision and Critique December 7 Nietzsche, Use and Abuse of History Freud, Civilization and the Discontents Arendt, Between Past and Future (selections) Recommend: Kierkegaard, The Present Age Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil Arendt, The Human Condition Marcuse, Eros and Civilization Final Examination Due December 14 |