NEW YORK CITY COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK DIVISION OF LIBERAL ARTS AND GENERAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SCIENCES PHIL 3208/PH208: POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY (formerly HU308) COURSE DESCRIPTION: Philosophical theories of society and human nature. Analysis of concepts of authority, rights, justice, common good, liberty and sovereignty. Philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Locke, Mill, Thoreau and Marx are discussed. PREREQUISITE: One previous course in philosophy or departmental permission and 3 class hours CUNY Certification in reading and writing 3 credits Grading: 25% Exam 1 25% Exam 2 or paper 50% Final Suggested Primary Text: Smith, Elizabeth H. and H. Gene Blocker, eds. Applied Social and Political Philosophy. NJ: Prentice Hall 1994 Alternative Primary Texts: Arthur, John. and William H. Shaw. Social and Political Philosophy. NJ: Prentice Hall 1997 Sterba, James, ed. Social and Political Philosophy: Classical Western Texts in Feminist and Multicultural Perspectives. Belmont, Ca.: Wadsworth Publ. Co. 1998 Wolff, Jonathan. An Introduction to Political Philosophy. NY: Oxford University Press. 1996 Prepared by: Dr. D. McKinney November 1989 Revised by: Dr. D. McKinney, February 1994, January 1997 Revised by: Dr. W. Brand, February 2001 Revised by: Dr. H. McDonald, March 2004, November 2006 1
Revised by: Dr. W. Brand, April 2012 14 WEEK OUTLINE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY WEEK I: WEEK 2 WEEK 2: WEEK 3: Social & Political Philosophy: Introduction -Relation to Ethics -Basic Questions: General: What is human nature? Why live in society? Why obey government? Specific: Who should have political power? What should be the limits of political power? What should be the aims of political power? -Basic concepts: Justice, rights, duties, equality, consent, authority, state, law, government, etc. - Three criteria involved in examining and evaluating social and political theories: (i) Logical--rational justification Purpose: to identify and analyze basic principles, and arguments of theories Arguments, premises, conclusions, statements Empirical and normative statements, fact/value distinction, is ought distinction Concepts and terms, meaning and definition Truth, inference, deductive and inductive arguments (ii) Moral justification-three main types Purpose: evaluate moral content of theories Nonconsequentialist, Consequentialist and combination (of nonconsequentialist and consequentialist) theories of ethics The deontological/teleological distinction and the distinctions it embodies: principle/consequence; absolute/conditional; duties/goods; formal/material; distributive/aggregative. (iii) Empirical justification Purpose: to determine whether facts of theory take into account facts dealt with by social science. SUGGESTED READINGS. These selections, which collectively focus on the above basic questions and concepts, should each to be examined in terms of the above criteria. The order need not be followed. Alternative readings that focus on any basic social and political concept or issue can be given. Plato, The Crito (unabridged) Morality, state and citizen The Republic (selections) Book I: Different views of justice; the idealist realist debate in politics. Plato, The Republic (selections) continued Book II-IV: Justice in the state and in the individual 2
Book VIII: Different types of government and individuals; comparison of just and unjust lives. WEEK 4: Plato, The Republic (selections) Completion of above readings. Review for Exam I Exam I WEEK 5: WEEK 6: Aristotle, Politics (selections) Origin of state, nature of man, institution of slavery, concept of state and citizen, forms of government, education. Machiavelli, The Prince (selections) The practical, realistic, as opposed to idealistic approach to political issues and problems Hobbes, Leviathan (selections) Defense of Absolutism. The natural condition of mankind (state of nature), natural laws, contracts, causes and definitions of a commonwealth the rights of sovereigns, the liberty of subjects WEEK 7: Hobbes, Leviathan (Completion of week 6 readings) Locke, Two Treatises on Government (selections) Limited government - natural rights approach. The state of nature, property, flaws in society without government, social contract and majority rule, types of powers and right to rule. WEEK 8: Review Week 5-7 Exam 2 WEEK 9: WEEK 10: Thomas Jefferson, The Declaration of Independence, Act for Establishing Religious Freedom, Letters to..., including: Concept of a Republic, principle of majority rule, the place and value of social and political change Thoreau, On the Duty of Civil Disobedience John Stuart Mill, On Liberty (selections) Tyranny of the majority. Liberty and social utility, liberty of thought and discussion, limits to authority of society over individual WEEK 11: WEEK 12: Marx & Engels, Manifesto of the Communist Party (unabridged) Engels, Socialism, Utopian and Scientific (selections) The materialist conception of history Marx, Critique of Political Economy (selections) The basic dynamic of history Mussolini, The Doctrine of Fascism (selections) Supremacy of state over individual and nation, 3
superiority of war to peace; rejection of democracy; acceptance of imperialism WEEK 13: WEEK 14: John Dewey, Reconstruction in Philosophy (selections) Reconstruction as affecting social philosophy; Defects of organic concept of society and notion of fixed self or individual; moral test of social institutions; social pluralism; international humanism; freedom and democracy Dewey with James H. Tufts; Ethics, (selections). Moral and social problem; individual and society; historical individualism; on concept of democracy Review for Final Exam Final Exam 4
14 WEEK BEHAVIORAL OBJECTIVES SOCIAL AND POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY At the end of each week indicated, the student should be able: WEEK 1: 1) To identify the basic questions and concepts of social and political philosophy. 2) To explain the three criteria involved in examining and evaluating social and political theories. WEEK 2: 1) To explain the relationship between morality, the state and the citizen as expressed in The Crito. 2) To evaluate the criticisms of the three concepts of justice given in Book I of The Republic. WEEK 3: 1) To explain Plato s correlation of the tripart division of the state and the soul, and the concept of justice which emerges. 2) In light of (1) above, to evaluate his account of the different types of government and individual, and of social change, and his comparison of just and unjust lives. WEEK 4: 1) To critically evaluate the concept of justice and the relationship between the individual and state expressed in The Crito and The Republic, Books II-IV, VIII. WEEK 5: 1) To critically discuss Aristotle s views on the origin of the state the nature of man, slavery, the relationship between state and citizen, different forms of government, and education, and his concept of equality. 2) To compare and contrast the political theories of Plato and Aristotle. WEEK 6: 1) To explain, by reference The Prince, the nature of Machiavelli s practical or realistic approach to political issues and problems, and the relevance of his arguments. 2) To critically assess Machiavelli s position and arguments. 3) To explain Hobbes s defense of absolutism in terms of his concepts of a state of nature, natural law, contracts, and a commonwealth, and accordingly, to critically discuss his views on the rights of sovereigns and the liberty of subjects. WEEK 7: 1) To explain Locke s arguments for limited government in terms of his concepts of natural law and rights, property, consent, social contract and majority rule, and his arguments against anarchy and absolutism, and accordingly, to critically discuss his views on the right to rule and the right to revolt. WEEK 8: 1) To compare and contrast the political theories of Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hobbes and Locke, and to critically discuss the arguments given by each to support his position. 5
WEEK 9: 1) To explain Jefferson s concept of a republic, his views on majority rule, on revolutions, and the value of social and political change, and to compare Jefferson s views with those of Locke. 2) To critically discuss Thoreau s arguments on the duty to civil disobedience and how it may be realized, and to compare and contrast his position with that of Socrates in The Crito and Martin Luther King s in Letter from Birmingham Jail, April 16, 1963. WEEK 10: 1) To explain Mill s concept of liberty in terms of his arguments against tyranny of the majority, his views on liberty of thought and discussion, and his utilitarianism, and to critically discuss his consequent position on personal and political paternalism. 2) To compare and contrast the views of Thoreau and Mill. WEEK 11: 1) To explain the materialist conception of history, the basic dynamic of history, the concepts of property, family, revolution, bourgeoisie and proletariat as expressed in the writings of Marx and Engels, and, accordingly, to critically discuss their views. WEEK 12: 1) To critically discuss Mussolini s doctrine of fascism in terms of his arguments for the supremacy of the state over individual and nation, superiority of war to peace, the rejection of democracy, and the acceptance of imperialism. 2) To compare and contrast the political theories of Plato, Hobbes, Marx & Engels, and Mussolini. WEEK 13: 1) To explain Dewey s arguments against the organic concept of society and the notion of fixed self or individual, and his views on social pluralism, international humanism, and freedom and democracy. 2) To explain Tufts s views on the relationship between moral and social problems, and the individual and society, individualism and democracy. 3) To compare and contrast the views of Dewey, Tufts, Mill and Locke. WEEK 14: 1) To compare and contrast the political theories of the philosophers discussed in weeks 1-12 in terms of common key concept(s), and to critically discuss the arguments each gives to support his view. GENERAL EDUCATION General Education at New York City College of Technology, The City University of New York, provides students with a well rounded knowledge base, an appreciation of diverse cultural and intellectual traditions, an interest in relating the past to the contemporary world, and the skills necessary to reflect upon and shape society. A general education provides the opportunity to explore knowledge from various disciplines and perspectives, and to develop students abilities to read, write and think critically, and to assess information from a variety of sources. Further, and perhaps most importantly, general education develops students intellectual and creative curiosity and commitment to lifelong learning. 6
GENERAL EDUCATION LEARNING OUTCOMES Communication Read and listen analytically, comprehending the meaning of texts, including identifying an argument s major assumptions and evaluating its supporting evidence. Write clearly and coherently in varied academic formats using standard English to critique others texts and to improve upon one s own texts. Present a formal or an informal spoken presentation, speaking to persuade or to describe. Listening to detail by way of analyzing the meanings of texts. Critical Thinking Learning the language of logic, formally and informally, for reasoned argumentation. Critical thinking involves the interpretation and criticism of texts, often primary sources. Philosophical positions are evaluated from a variety of sources. Information is integrated into one s own system of beliefs. The basic concepts of logic are identified and studied, i.e., truth and falsehood, the statement, the argument, premises and conclusion, deductive logic, validity, soundness, inductive logic, strength and cogency, identifying fallacies, translating natural language into symbolic form, testing for consistency and entailment, studying and applying the scientific method. Information, Research and Computer skills Information literacy begins with knowing when information is needed. How is the information acquired and then evaluated for its quality? Information literacy allows us to synthesize information from multiple, perhaps, conflicting sources. The importance of using information ethically and legally is stressed throughout. Scientific and Mathematical Literacy Understanding logical argumentation as the basis for an understanding of the scientific method; scientific literacy studies the history of the sciences, and recognizes the contribution of science to human progress. It studies the interrelationships among the sciences and between science and the language of mathematics. An understanding of basic statistical analysis, for example, is necessary for evaluating scientific data and interpreting scientific literature. Humanistic and Social Inquiry Humanistic inquiry studies and comes to respect the diversity of human experience while learning the interconnectedness of global and local concerns. The diversity of cultural traditions is stressed throughout together with an understanding of social and political institutions. Humanistic and social inquiry recognizes a variety of perspectives that emerge from new scholarship on gender, race, and class as well as from nonwestern cultural traditions. The arts are stressed as a basic human activity. Art forms find their expressions culturally, politically, philosophically and ethically. ASSESSMENT OF GENERAL EDUCATION LEARNING OUTCOMES The methods for assessing general education objectives are generic but specificity may arise depending on which area of general education is being stressed. 7
Multiple choice quizzes are especially useful for assessing reading comprehension of basic content as well as attention to detail. The written assignment is many and various depending on the purpose of the assignment. Assignments range from the low-stakes one-pager to the formal term paper. In class, group work resulting in formal/informal oral presentations. Short answer quizzes addressing basic reading comprehension. Collaborative, in-class editing of written work. BIBLIOGRAPHY: SOCIAL & POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY Prepared by: Dr.D.McKinney, 1994 Revised by: Dr.D.McKinney 1997 Revised by: Dr. W. Brand 2001 Revised by: Dr. H. McDonald 2004 Revised by: Dr. W. Brand, April 2012 RECOMMENDED SECONDARY READINGS: Forsyth, Murray and Maurice Keens Soper.eds. The Political Classics. A Guide to the Essential Texts from Plato to Rousseau. NY: Oxford Univ. Press 1993. ----------------. The Political Classics. Hamilton to Mill. NY: Oxford Univ. Press 1993 GENERAL: Arthur, John. Democracy: Theory and Practice. Belmont, Ca. Wadsworth. 1992 Barker, Sir Ernest. ed. Social Contract. Essays by Locke, Hume and Rousseau. NY: Oxford Univ. Press 1962. Barry, Brian. Democracy and Power, Essays in Political Theory 1. NY: Oxford Univ. Press: 1991. Barry, Brian. Liberty and Justice, Essays in Political Theory 2. NY: Oxford Univ. Press: 1991. Benn, S and Peters, R. S. The Principles of Political Obligation, NY: Free Press 1965. (later reprints). Berlin, Sir Isaiah, Four Essays on Liberty. NY: Oxford Univ. Press. 1990. Campbell, Tom. Seven Theories of Human Society. NY: Oxford U. Press 1981. 8
Castoriadis, C. Philosophy, Politics, Autonomy, Essays in Political Philosophy. NY: Oxford Univ. Press 1991. Collingwood, R.G. The New Leviathan or Man, Society, Civilization and Barbarism. Rev. ed. edited and introduced by David Boucher. NY: Oxford Univ. Press 1993. Cranston, Maurice. Philosophers and Pamphleteers. Political Theorists of the Enlightenment. NY: Oxford Univ. Press 1986. Crowder, George. Classical Anarchism. The Political Thought of Godwin, Proudhon, Bakunin and Kropotkin. NY: Oxford Univ. Press 1992. De Jasay, Anthony. Social Contract, Free Ride. A Study of the Public Goods Problem. NY: Oxford Univ. Press 1989 (paper 1991). Dunn, John. ed. Democracy. NY: Oxford Univ. Press 1992. Feinberg, Joel. Social Philosophy. NJ: Prentice Hall, 1973. Forsyth, Murray and Keens-Soper, Maurice, eds. A Guide to the Political Classics. Plato to Rousseau. NY: Oxford Univ.Press 1988. and John Hoffman, eds. A Guide to the Political Classics. Hamilton to Mill. NY: Oxford Univ.Press 1993. Gans, Chaim. Philosophical Anarchism and Political Disobedience. NY: Cambridge University Press 1992. Gilbert, Paul. Human Relationships, A Philosophical Introduction. Cambridge, Ma. Blackwell Pub. 1991. Goldberg, David Theo. Ethical Theory and Social Issues: Historical Text and Contemporary Readings. Chicago, Ill. Harcourt Brace, 1989. Goodin, Robert and Pettit, Philip.eds. A Companion to Contemporary Political Philosophy. Cambridge. Ma. Blackwell Publ. 1993. Hampsher-Monk, Iain. A History of Modern Political Thought. Major Political Thinkers from Hobbes to Marx. Cambridge, Ma. Blackwell Pub. 1993. Ingram, Attracta. A Political Theory of Rights. NY: Oxford University Press 1994. Kahan, Alan. Aristocratic Liberalism, The Social and Political Thought of Jacob Burckhardt, John Stuart Mill and Alexis de Tocqueville. NY: Oxford Univ. Press. 1992. Kymlicka, Will. Contemporary Political Philosophy. An Introduction. NY: Oxford Univ. Press 1991. 9
Levine, Andrew. The General Will: Rousseau, Marx, Communism. NY: Cambridge Univ. Press. 1993. MacCallum, Gerald C. Political Philosophy. NJ: Prentice Hall 1987. Martin, Rex. A System of Rights. NY: Oxford Univ. Press 1993. Miller, David. ed. Liberty. NY. Oxford Univ. Press 1991. Mills, Claudia, Values and Public Policy. Chicago, Ill.: Harcourt Brace, 1992. Moore, Margaret, Foundations of Liberalism. NY: Oxford Univ. Press. 1993. Morgan. Michael L., ed. Classics of Moral and Political Theory. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co. 1992. Includes 19 key texts in their entirety, with selections from 8 others: Works of Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, Epictetus, Augustine, Aquinas, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Kant, Mill, Marx, Nietzsche. Moskos, Charles and John Whiteclay Chambers II., eds. The New Conscientious Objection. From Sacred to Secular Resistance. NY: Oxford Univ. Press 1993. Nagel, Thomas. Equality and Partiality. NY: Oxford Univ. Press 1991. Nathanson, Stephen. Should we Consent to be Governed? A Short Introduction to Political Philosophy Belmont, Ca. Wadsworth 1992. Paul, Miller, Paul and Ahrens, eds. Socialism. Cambridge, Ma. Blackwell Publ. Co. 1990. Porter, J.M. Classics in Political Philosophy, NJ: Prentice Hall 1990. Richter, Melvin. The History of Political and Social Concepts. A Critical Introduction. NY Oxford University Press. 1995. Somerville, John and Robert Santoni, eds., Social and Political Philosophy. Readings from Plato to Gandhi. NY: Doubleday & Co. 1963. Skinner, Quentin et. al. Great Political Thinkers. Machiavelli, Hobbes, Mill, and Marx, edited by Sir Keith Thomas. NY: Oxford Univ. Press, 1992. Sterba, J., Social and Political Philosophy: Contemporary Perspectives. Routledge, 2001. Tuck, Richard. Philosophy and Government 1571-1651. NY: Cambridge University Press 1993. Vincent, Andrew. Modern Political Ideologies. Cambridge, Ma. Blackwell Pub. Co. 1992. 10
Winston, Morton. The Philosophy of Human Rights. Belmont, Ca. Wadsworth. 1989. AUGUSTINE: Fortin, E.L., and Gunn, Roland. eds. Augustine, Political Writings, translated by Douglas Kries & Michael W. Tkacz. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co. 1994. BURKE: Pocock, J.G.A., ed. Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France, Indianapolis: Hackett Pub. Co. 1987. DEWEY: Morris, D. and Shapiro, I. eds. John Dewey, Political Writings, Indianapolis:Hackett Publishing Co. 1993. HOBBES: Curley, E., ed. Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, Complete, with selected variants from the Latin edition of 1668. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 1994. Gert, B., ed. Thomas Hobbes, Man and Citizen (De Homine and De Cive) Indianapolis: Hackett Publ. Co., 1991. Hampton, Jean. Hobbes and the Social Contract Tradition. NY: Cambridge University Press 1987. HUME: Warner, S.B., and Livingston, D., eds. David Hume, Political Writings. Indianapolis: Hackett Publ. Co. 1994 Contains sections from A Treatise on Human Nature, An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals, and Essays: Moral, Political and Literary. KANT: Ellington, J.W., trans. & ed. Immanuel Kant, Ground for the Metaphysics of Morals with On a Supposed Right to Lie because of Philanthropic Concerns. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co. 1993. LOCKE De Beer, E.S. ed. The Correspondence of John Locke. NY: Oxford University Press. 8 Vols. 1978-1989. Tully, James, ed. Locke, A Letter Concerning Toleration, Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 1983. Macpherson, C.B., ed. Locke,Second Treatise of Government. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 1980. Kelly, Patrick, ed. Locke on Money. 2 Vols. NY: Oxford Univ.Press.1991. Tully, James. An Approach to Political Philosophy: Locke in Contexts. NY: Cambridge Univ. Press. 1993. Yolton, J. A Locke Dictionary. Cambridge. Ma. Blackwell Pub. Co. (no date). 11
MACHIAVELLI: Wooton, David. ed. Niccolo Machiavelli, Selected Political Writings, Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co. 1994. Contents: The Prince (complete) Selected correspondence, Selections from Discourses on Livy, and The Art of War. MARX: Arnold, N. Scott. Marx s Radical Critique of Capitalist Society. A Reconstruction and Critical Evaluation. NY: Oxford Univ. Press 1990 (paper 1991). Berlin, Sir Isaiah. Karl Marx. His Life and Environment. NY: Oxford Univ. Press 1978. Callinicos, Alex. Marxism and Philosophy. NY: Oxford Univ.Press 1983 (paper 1985). -----------------, ed. Marxist Theory. NY: Oxford Univ,. Press 1989. Carver, T. Marx s Social Theory. NY: Oxford Univ. Press. Cohen, G.A. History, Labour and Freedom. Themes from Marx. NY: Oxford Univ. Press 1989. Femia, Joseph V. Marxism and Democracy. NY: Oxford Univ. Press 1993. Gottlieb, Roger S. ed. An Anthology of Western Marxism. From Lukacs and Gramsci to Socialist- Feminism. NY: Oxford Univ. Press 1989. Kolakowski, Leszek. Main Currents of Marxism. Its Rise, Growth and Dissolution. 3 vols. translated from the Polish by P.S. Falla. NY: Oxford Univ. Press 1978. Lukes, Steven, Marxism and Morality, NY: Oxford Univ. Press. 1985. McClellan, David ed. Marxism, Essential Writings NY: Oxford U.P.1988. Simon, Lawrence H., ed. Karl Marx, Selected Writings. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 1994. Contents: I. Early Philosophical Writings; Part II. Writings on Historical Materialism, III. Economic Writings; IV. Late Political Writings. MILL: Rapaport. E., ed. Mill, On Liberty. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 1978. MONTESQUIEU: Richter, Melvin, ed. Montesquieu, Selected Political Writings, Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co. 1990. NOZICK, ROBERT Nozick, Robert, Anarchy, State, and Utopia, NY: Basic Books 1974. 12
PAINE: Claeys, G., ed. Thomas Paine, Rights of Man. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co. 1992. PLATO: Grube, G.M.A., ed. Plato, Republic. 2nd. ed. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing. 1992. White, Nicholas P. White, A Companion to Plato s Republic. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co. 1979. NIETSCHE: Solomon, Robert and Higgins, K., eds. Reading Nietzsche. NY. Oxford Univ. Press. 1989. RAWLS, JOHN Rawls, John, A Theory of Justice. Cambridge: Belnap Press of the Harvard University Press. 1971. ROUSSEAU: Dent, N., A Rousseau Dictionary. Cambridge, Ma. Blackwell Pub. Co. No date. Gay, Peter, ed. Jean-Jacques Rousseau: Basic Political Writings. Discourse on the Sciences and the Arts, Discourse on the Origin of Inequality (with Rousseau s Notes) Discourse on Political Economy, On the Social Contract translated by Donald A. Cress. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co. 1987. Gay, Peter, ed. Jean-Jacques Rousseau, On the Social Contract, translated by Donald A. Cress. Indianapolis: Hackett Pub. Co. 1988. Miller, James, ed. Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Discourse on the Origin of Inequality, translated by Donald A. Cress. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co. 1992. ADAM SMITH: Dickey. Laurence, ed. Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations, abridged. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 1993. Werhane, Patricia H. Adam Smith and His Legacy for Modern Capitalism. NY: Oxford Univ. Press 1991. SOCRATES: Reeve, C.D.C., Socrates in the Apology: An Essay on Plato s Apology of Socrates. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co. 1989. Vlastos, Gregory, Socrates, Ironist and Moral Philosopher, (Ithaca, NY:Cornell University Press, 1989). THOMAS AQUINAS: Baumgarth, W. and Reagan, R., eds. Thomas Aquinas, On Law, Morality and Politics. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co. 1988. Includes all but the strictly scriptural sections of Treatise on Law. THUCYDIDES: 13
Woodruff, P., ed. Thucydides, On Justice, Power and Human Nature, Selections from History of the Peloponnesian War. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co. 1993 14