POLS Y105-Introduction to Political Theory

Internet/Cable Access: Spring 2010

Elliot Bartky Office: CM 213

Office hours T, Th 1:30-2:45 & by appointment

email: bartky@ipfw.edu

 

 

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.


COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Reading Assignments

Follow the reading assignments on the course syllabus "Course Reading and Lecture Schedule." Your understanding of the lectures and performance on the tests will benefit by your having read the materials prior to viewing the lectures on the internet or TV.

 

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

Exams
There are three exams. Each exam will count for 25% of the final grade. The exams will consist of essay and other questions that will allow you to demonstrate your knowledge of course readings and lectures.

 

Reviews for the exams are available on the course website.

 

The three exams each have essay questions. The essay questions appearing on these exams will be taken from the essay questions on the Study Guides on my website. If you do the readings and watch the lectures there is no reason for you not to be fully prepared to answer the essay questions.

 

The following two links provide helpful insights for writing essays. The information provided on these links will assist you in answering essay questions on the exams and in writing papers.

 

Essay Writing

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/685/01/

 

Writing Essays for Exams

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/737/01/

 

You must take the exams through Testing Services:
BE SURE TO CALL TESTING SERVICES AT LEAST ONE WEEK PRIOR TO THE EXAM TO SCHEDULE YOUR EXAM OTHERWISE THERE MAY NOT BE A TIME SLOT AVAILABLE.

 

Call 260-481-6600 to schedule an appointment to take the test. See the Testing Services website:  http://www.ipfw.edu/testing/distance/ 

 

Paper
One 5 page double spaced paper. The paper will count for 25% of the final grade. The paper topics are available on the course website.
Paper due: 3/2.

The paper must be submitted electronically to my email address 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.

 

Course Reading and Lecture Schedule (Readings are found in the Morgan, ed. text)

The reading schedule is meant to provide a guide assisting you in allocating the time necessary to complete the course. 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?

 

      Lecture 1

 

      No assigned reading

1/12

 

 

2.   Plato

 

      Lecture 2

 

      *Apology

outline of Plato’s Apology on course Website

      Complete; pp. 46-63

1/14

 

 

      *Republic

outline of Plato’s Republic on course Website

      Lecture 3

 

      Bk. 1, 2, 3; pp.75-130

1/19

 

 

      Lecture 4

 

      Bk. 4, 5, 6; pp.130-186

1/21 

 

 

      Lecture 5

 

      Bk. 7, 8; pp.186-220

1/26  

 

 

      Lecture 6

 

      Bk. 9, 10; pp.220-251

1/28  

 

 

3.   Aristotle

 

      *Politics

outline of Aristotle’s Politics on course Website

      Lecture 7

 

      Bk. 1, 2; pp. 361-379

2/2

 

 

      Lecture 8

 

      Bk. 3; pp. 379-396

2/4  

 

 

      Lecture 9

 

      Bk. 4; pp. 396-412 also read Bk. 6 (see link on course website or go to http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/politics.html )

2/9 

 

 

      Lecture 10

 

      Bk. 7; pp. 412-416 also read Bk. 8 (see link on course website or go to http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/politics.html )

2/11

 

 

4.   Epicurus & the turn against political philosophy

 

      Lecture 11

 

      *Selections; pp. 417-424

2/16

 

 

      No Lecture 12 - Exam

 

 

 

Exam 1 - 2/18 thru 2/25

 

 

 

5.   *Judaism and the Political-Theological Problem

 

      Lecture 13

 

      Genesis: Ch. 1-19, 35

2/23

 

 

      Lecture 14

 

      Exodus: Ch. 20-24, 32-34; Leviticus: Ch. 18-19

2/25

 

 

      Lecture 15

 

      Deuteronomy: Ch. 1-4, Ch. 6:18-18

3/2

 

 

      Lecture 16

 

      Ecclesiastes: complete

3/4 

 

 

6.   Augustine

 

      *City of God

 

      Lecture 17 and Lecture 18

 

      Bk. 19; pp. 442-454

3/16, 18

 

 

7.   Aquinas

 

      Lecture 19

 

      *On Kingship, pp. 457-459 

3/23

 

 

      Lecture 20

 

      *& Selections from Summa Theologica

        pp. 460-476

3/25

 

 

8.   Machiavelli

 

      *The Prince

 

      Lecture 21

 

      Introduction, Ch. 1-11; pp. 482-502

3/30

 

 

      Lecture 22

 

      Ch.12-26; pp. 502-526

4/1

 

 

      *The Discourses

 

      Lecture 23

 

      pp. 527-547

4/6

 

 

     

 

      No lecture 24 - Exam

 

 

 

 

 

Exam 2- 4/8 thru 4/15

 

 

 

9.   Hobbes

 

      Leviathan

 

      Lecture 25

 

      Part1

4/13

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

 

 

 

      Lecture 26

 

      Part 2

4/15

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

 

 

 

10. Locke

 

      Second Treatise

 

      Lecture 27

 

      Preface, Ch. 1-9; pp. 684-719

4/20

 

 

      Lecture 28

 

      Ch.10-19; pp. 719-749

4/22

 

 

11. Marx

 

      *On the Jewish Question

 

      Lecture 29

 

      pp. 1093-1108

4/27

 

       Communist Manifesto

 

      Lecture 30

 

      pp. 1109-1128

4/29 

 

 

Exam 3- 5/3 thru 5/5