Session

Topic

Readings: Required are in boldface, recommended are in italics

Origins of Political Philosophy and the Conservative-Radical Divide

None

No Class – Labor Day

Start Plato

Justice, Human Nature(s) and Creating the Good Society

Plato, pp. 1-111 (327a to 427c)

Sayers, Chapters 1-5

Dorter, Chapters 1-3

Pappas, Chapters 2-4

Family Life and the State

Plato, pp. 112-198 (427d to 504b)

Sayers, Chapters 6-9

Dorter, Chapters 4-6

Pappas, Chapters 5-6

Philosophy, the Soul, and Tyranny

Plato, pp. 198-326 (504b to 621c)

Sayers, Chapters 10-14

Dorter, Chapters 7-10

Pappas, Chapters 7-10

The Personal and the Political

Aristotle, Books I and II

Davis, Chapters 1-2

Regimes and Regime Change

Aristotle, Books III, IV, V

Davis, Chapters 3-5

Political Virtue and the Best Regime

Aristotle, Books VI, VII, and VIII

Davis, Chapters 6-8

Advice for Rulers: Ethics and Power

Take-Home Midterm Distributed

Machiavelli, pp. 1-72. 

Also: Interpretations by Cassirer, Berlin

Paul de Alvarez, All

Rudowski, Chapters 6-10

Human Nature and the State of Nature

Hobbes, pp. 62-115 (Part I: Chapters 10-16)

Newey, Chapters 4-6

Overcoming Anarchy and War

Hobbes, pp. 117-200 (Part II: Chapters 17-26)

Newey, Chapter 7

Law, Order and Sovereignty

Hobbes, pp. 201-254 (Part II: Chapters 27-31) , 483-491 (Conclusion), then Tuck’s Introduction (pp. ix-xlv, at the front of the book)

Newey, Chapters 8, 10

Natural Rights and Legitimate Government

Locke, Editor’s Introduction and pp. 5-124

Thomas, Chapters 2-4

Kelly, Chapter 3

Popular Sovereignty

Rousseau, pp. 49-100 (Books 1 and 2)

Gildin, Chapters 2-3 (pdf)

Governing By the General Will

Rousseau, pp. 101-188 (Books 3 and 4)

Gildin, Chapters 4-6 (pdf)

Final Exam

Review Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau