PLSC 3360 Foundations of Political Thought
St.Thomas instructs the King of Cyprus
Fall, 2006
MR. CARTER Fall, 2006 POLITICAL SCIENCE 3360 FOUNDATIONS OF POLITICAL THOUGHT
This course chronicles human attempts to create, and to analyze, our most striking artifact: the human community. The course begins with a sustained look at the Greek attempts to build and to philosophize about their political community, the polis or city state. The problems created by the transition from city-state to empire will be noted, as will theory's failure to deal with those problems. The course will also include the new approach to politics demanded by the advent of Christianity, and Machiavelli's attempt to disassociate the Church from politics. The course concludes with Calvin's endeavor to rebuild the tradition of politics and political discourse in a Europe torn asunder.
REQUIRED TEXTS:
Augustine, Political Writings, Hackett Aquinas, The Political Ideas of St. Thomas Aquinas, Free Press Aristotle, The Politics, Hackett Machiavelli, The Prince and the Discourses, Modern Library More, Utopia, Hackett Plato, The Republic, Harlan Davidson
COURSE EXPECTATIONS:
1. PLSC 3361 meets from 1 to 1:50 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. You are expected to be in class at those times. You will be penalized 1.5 points for each unexcused absence. If you have what you consider a legitimate excuse to miss you must present that excuse in written form.
2. You are invited to take advantage of office hours: my office is 208 Carr Collins Hall. Office hours are posted in a notebook in the Department’s entry.
3. In addition to office visits you may call 214.768.2522; voice mails are answered.
4. You may e-mail me at [email protected].
5. My home page address is http://faculty.smu.edu/bkcarter/ .
6. Contributions to discussion will be noted; worthwhile contribution is remembered when final grades are set, especially in borderline cases
7. You are expected to keep up with the assignments. Unannounced quizzes will be given.
8. In addition to those quizzes there will be three other obligations. These requirements are weighed: 15% quizzes; 20% first essay; 25% for the second essay; 40% for the final exam.
9. Take-home essays are due in class on the day announced. Late papers can be turned in only in class and will be penalized one letter grade (10 points) per class day.
10. There will be two parts to the final examination. The first part, a take home essay, will be worth 30 of the 40 exam points. It will be distributed November 13 and will be due at 11:30a.m. on Saturday, 9 December. The second part, the objective portion,will be worth 10 of the exam points. It will be administered from 11:30 to 12:15that same day. 11. Wednesday, 1 November, is the last day to drop a class..
12. If you need academic accommodations for a disability, you must first contact the Coordinator, Services for Students with Disabilities, at 214.768.4563 to verify the disability and to establish eligibility for accommodations. Then you should schedule an appointment with me to make appropriate arrangements.
13. Please also note the following University policies:
*Religious Observance: Religiously observant students wishing to be absent on holidays that require missing class should notify their professors in writing at the beginning of the semester, and should discuss with them, in advance, acceptable ways of making up any work missed because of the absence. (See University Policy No. 1.9.)
*Excused Absences for University Extracurricular Activities: Students participating in an officially sanctioned, scheduled University extracurricular activity should be given the opportunity to make up class assignments or other graded assignments missed as a result of their participation. It is the responsibility of the student to make arrangements with the instructor prior to any missed scheduled examination or other missed assignment for making up the work. (University Undergraduate Catalogue)
14.This syllabus is in the nature of a contract. I will follow it; so should you.
CLASS SCHEDULE:
UNIT ONE: THE NATURE OF POLITICAL THEORY
Week One August 18 Lecture: Welcome to 3360
Week Two August 21 Lecture: What it Means to Do Theory Assignment: The Republic, pp. xii-xivii
August 23 Discussion: Politics, States, and How We Got Here Assignment: The Republic, Book 1
August 25 Discussion: Thinking About Politics Assignment: The Republic, Books 2,3
UNIT TWO: THE CLASSICAL TRADITION
Week Three August 28 Lecture: Greek Theory- Community & Vocabulary Assignment: The Republic, Books 4, 5
August 30 Lecture: Plato, the Different Drummer Assignment: The Republic, Books 6, 7
September 1 Lecture: A Polis of Words Assignment: The Republic, Book 8
Week Four September 4 NO CLASS: LABOR DAY
September 6 Lecture: Plato & the Theatre of the Absurd ` Assignment: The Republic, Book 9
September 8 Discussion: Testing the Metal of a Man Assignment: The Republic, Book 10
Week Five September 11 `Discussion: Plato and Elitism Assignment: the Politics, Introduction, Book I September 13 Lecture: The Theorist as Insider Assignment: The Politics, Book II
September 15 Lecture: Aristotle & the Nature of Politics Assignment: The Politics, Book III (ESSAY TOPIC DISTRIBUTED)
Week Six September 18 Discussion: Aristotle & Politics Assignment: The Politics, Book IV
September 20 Discussion: Aristotle’s Understanding of Reality Assignment: The Politics, Books V, VI
September 22 Discussion: The Heritage of Plato & Aristotle Assignment: The Politics, Book VII (vii, xii-xv)
Week Seven September 25 Lecture: The Loss of Community Assignment: Genesis 12,15, 17 `
UNIT THREE: HEBREW & EARLY CHRISTIAN POLITICAL THOUGHT
September 27 Lecture: The Prophetic Voice Assignment: Exodus 19-24, I Samuel 8
September 29 Discussion: The Prophetic Voice- The Cry for Justice Assignment: Hosea, Amos, Micha
Week Eight October 2 Lecture: The Counter Kingdom Assignment: Matthew 5-6, 10, 13, 15-16
October 4 Lecture: The Politics of Agape Assignment: Mark 7, Romans 12-13 I Corinthians 13, I Peter 2 October 6 Discussion: The Early Church & Politics (FIRST ESSAY DUE)
Week Nine October 9 NO CLASS: FALL BREAK
UNIT FOUR: THE CATHOLIC TRADITION
October 11
October 11 Lecture: St. Augustine-Church & Politics, Vinegar & Oil Assignment: Political Writings, Introduction, pp. 201- 212, Books I-V
October 13 Lecture: Augustine & the Saints in Babylon Assignment: Political Writings, Books X-XV
Week Ten Ocober 16 Discussion: Augustine in Context Assignment: Political Writings, Books XVI-XIX
October 18 Discussion: Thieves & Other Politicians Assignment: Political Writings, Book XV, pp. 219-249 (ESSAY TOPIC DISTRIBUTED)
October 20 Lecture: Aquinas & the Political Assignment: Political Ideas, pp. 3-41
Week Eleven October 23 Lecture: The Moral Purpose of Government Assignment: Political Ideas, pp. 42-85
October 25 Discussion: The Catholic Heritage Assignment: Political Ideas, pp. 175-195
October 27 Discussion: Augustine & Thomas Assignment: Political Ideas, pp. 92-95, 100-102, 121-131, 147-164, 168-172
UNIT FIVE: THE BEGINNING OF THE MODERN TRADITION
Week Twelve October 30 Lecture: Toward Modernity Assignment: The Prince, Chapters I-XVIII
November 1 Lecture: The Theorist as Dramatist Assignment: The Prince, Chapters XIX-XXVI
November 3 Discussion: Machiavelli’s Prince (SECOND ESSAY DUE)
Week Thirteen November 6 Lecture: Machiavelli’s New Science of Politics Assignment: The Discourses, Book I, chapters I-XXI
November 8 Lecture: The Theorist in a World Without Meaning Assignment: The Discourses, Book 1, Chapters XVII-LX
November 10 Discussion: Machiavelli’s Uses of History Assignment: The Discourses, Book II, Chapters I, X, XV, XVI, XIX, XXII, XXX
Week Fourteen November 13 Discussion: Machiavelli’s Rejection of Tradition Assignment: The Discourses, Book III, Chapters I, IV, V, VI, XXIX, XXI (TAKE HOME PORTION OF FINAL EXAM DISTRIBUTED)
November 15 Lecture: Thomas More, Builder of a New World Assignment: Utopia, pp. 56-107
November 17 Discussion: Resurgent Corporatism? Assignment: Utopia, pp. 107-160
Week Fifteen November 20 Discussion: Cities of the Mind
November 22, 24 NO CLASS: THANKSGIVING
Week Sixteen November 27 Lecture: John Calvin’s Paradise in Geneva Assignment: Calvin Readings at http://faculty.smu.edu/bkcarter/
November 29 Discussion: Calvin, Piety, & Constitutionalism
November 30 Discussion: Review
N.B. Mark Saturday, 9 December, on your calendar and be sure to be in the class room by 11:30, take homes in hand, ready to take the objective portion of the final examination.