POLS Y105-Introduction to Political Theory

 Internet and Cable Access: Fall 2008

Elliot Bartky Office: CM 213

Office hours T, Th: 12:00-1:15 & by appointment

email bartky@ipfw.edu

Please be sure to read the Introductory Letter on the course Web Page!

http://www.ipfw.edu/pols/assets/SYLLABI/Bartky/HOMEPAGE.htm

Course Description

Political philosophy is the oldest and most provocative of the social sciences. Political philosophy is traditional as it examines the history of thought, giving a serious hearing to long-established ideas. Yet political philosophy is also radical since it compels us to question the truth of those ideas. The readings, reflecting the breadth and depth of political life, provide an unparalleled opportunity for students to wrestle with fundamental questions about politics. In order to wrestle with these questions we shall pay close attention both to the structure of the texts and to the substantive arguments of the authors.

Course Texts
Required:

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

Recommended:

Hebrew Scriptures and Christian Scriptures
History of Political Philosophy, Leo Strauss and Joseph Cropsey (eds,)

Also available on the course website are outlines and summaries for a number of the earlier readings. These are intended to assist you in beginning to read the texts.

Course Goals

Course Goals The course is designed to further the students’ ability to think about fundamental political issues. Students who seriously engage the texts may be rewarded by being:

a)   perplexed by the profound differences in the way people think, speak, write and act about questions such as What is human nature? What are the standards of good and evil, right and wrong, justice and injustice, legitimate and illegitimate authority? Are these standards; universal or conventional?

b)   encouraged to enter debates about these fundamental political issues;

c)   better prepared to think, speak, write and act in regard to these issues;

d)   better prepared to increase their earning potential;

e)   better prepared to find and maintain a mate;

f)    better prepared to contribute to the well being of society;

g)   better prepared to establish a record appropriate for securing a position in the world to come.

This course fulfills the General Education requirement for Area Three: The Individual, Culture, and Society.

Note on Web page and technical problems
If you need technical assistance please call IT Services at 260-481-6030 or Barb Blauvelt at 260-481-6686.

Exams
Each exam will count for 30% of the final grade. The midterm and final exams will consist of essay and other questions that will allow you to demonstrate your knowledge of political thought.
Reviews for the exam will be available on the course web page.

You may not use your books or notes when taking the test. Using books and notes constitutes cheating. Evidence of cheating is not difficult to find and may lead to flunking the test and the course.

Exams must be taken at the IPFW Office of Testing Services or at a pre-arranged testing center on your local campus:

Students should make individual appointments with the Office of Testing services. Call 260-481-6600 to schedule an appointment to take the test. See the Testing Services website: http://www.ipfw.edu/testing/distance/

After you have completed an exam, please notify me by email at bartky@ipfw.edu.

NOTE: The Midterm Exam is scheduled for 10/23. You may take the Midterm as early as 10/16 or as late as 10/30. The Final Exam is scheduled for 12/17. You may take the final exam as early as 12/15 but you must take it by 12/17.

Midterm Exam:
10/23 -Scheduled date
10/16 -Earliest date
10/30 -Latest date

Final Exam:
12/17 -Scheduled date
12/15 -Earliest date
12/17 -Latest date

Papers
Two 5 page double spaced papers. Each paper will count for 20% of the final grade. The paper topics will be available on the course Website.
Paper # 1 due: 9/25.
Paper # 2 due: 11/25.

Papers must be submitted electronically through my email at bartky@ipfw.edu . Papers are entered in a data bank that cross checks all the papers submitted in order to determine any cases of plagiarism. Use of the internet is permitted, but be aware that copying anything from the internet will be treated the same as if you have copied from another student’s paper, essay, journal article, book or any other source. Copying even a phrase or sentence constitutes plagiarism and will be treated as such.

Note on Academic Honesty
Students should familiarize themselves with and abide by the IPFW Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct.
Students who violate the Code through cheating, plagiarism or other misconduct, or who assist others in engaging in prohibited conduct, will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action.

Reading Assignments
Your understanding of the lectures and performance on the tests will benefit by your having read the materials prior to viewing the lectures (whether on DVD, Video tape, or Cable TV access).

It is especially important that you are able to integrate the reading material with the course lectures.

Course Reading and Lecture Schedule

The reading schedule is meant to provide a guide assisting you in allocating the time necessary to complete the course. Required readings are marked with an asterisk *

The Strauss/Cropsey reader provides excellent essays on many of the theorists on our reading list. These essays serve as a recommended supplement to the assigned readings.

1.   Introduction: What is Political Philosophy?

      8/26 No assigned reading

2.   Plato:

      *Apology outline of Plato’s Apology on course website

8/28 - Complete; pp. 46-63                                               

      *Republic outline of Plato’s Republic on course website

9/2 - Bk.1, 2, 3; pp.75-130                                      
9/4 - Bk.4, 5, 6; pp.130-186
9/9  - Bk.7, 8, 9, 10; pp.186-251

3.   Aristotle:

      *Nicomachean Ethics                                       outline of Aristotle’ Ethics on course website
9/11 - Bk. 1, 2, 6; pp. 255-273, 307-315
9/16 - Bk. 9, 10; pp.328-360

*Politics outline of  Aristotle’s Politics on course website

      9/18 - Bk. 1, 2, 3; pp. 361-412
      9/23 - Bk. 4, 7; pp. 412-416

4.   Epicurus & the turn against political philosophy

9/25 -*Selections; pp. 417-424

5.   *Hebrew Scriptures

      9/30 -Genesis: Ch. 1-19, 35

      10/2 -Exodus: Ch. 20-24, 32-34

      10/7 -Leviticus: Ch. 19
      10/9 -Deuteronomy: Ch. 1-4, 6:18-18

6.   Augustine

*City of God
10/16, 21 - Bk. 19; pp. 442-454

Midterm Exam 10/16 - 10/23 - 10/30

7.   Aquinas

      10/28 -*On Kingship, pp. 457-459  

      10/30   -*& Selections from Summa Theologica pp. 460-476

8.   Machiavelli

*The Prince
11/4 - Introduction, Ch. 1-11; pp. 482-502

11/6 -Ch.12-26; pp. 502-526

9.   Hobbes

      *Leviathan

      11/11 -Part1

      Ch. 1-5, 11, 13-16; pp. 551-566, 582-585, 591-606

      11/13 - Part 2

      Ch. 17-18, 20-24, 26, 30-31 Review & Conclusion; pp. 606-612, 617-636, 639-649, 664-681

10. Locke

      *Second Treatise

      11/18 - Preface, Ch. 1-9; pp. 684-719

      11/20- Ch.10-19; pp. 719-749

11. Rousseau
*Social Contract

      11/25 - Bk.1, Bk. 2; pp. 831-853

      12/2   - Bk. 3, Ch.1-3, 8-18, Bk. 4 Ch. 1, 8, 9 pp. 853-857, 863-873, 873-874,885-890

12. Hume

      *Treatise of Human Nature

      12/4 - Selections pp. 752-774

13. Marx

*On the Jewish Question
12/9 - pp. 1093-1108

      *Communist Manifesto

      12/11 - pp. 1109-1128

      12/11 Final Lecture-What is Political Philosophy?

Final Exam 12/15-12/17