History of Political Philosophy 1

History of Political Philosophy 1: Ancient and Medieval Political Philosophy

Jun-Hyeok KWAK

Week1: Introduction (1): What is political philosophy?

[Required Reading] Leo Strauss, “What is political philosophy?,” in What is political philosophy (Free Press, 1959), pp. 9-55.

Week 2: Introduction (2): Text and Context

[Required Reading] Quentin Skinner, “Preface,” in The Foundation of Modern Political Thought Vol.1 (Cambridge University Press, 1978), pp. ix-xv.

Week 3: Greek Political Philosophy (1): The Birth of Politics

[Required Reading] Thucydides, “Funeral Oration,” in History of the Peloponnesian War, translated by Rex Warner (Penguin, 1972), 1.139-146.

Week 4: Greek Political Philosophy (2): Experts or Commons

[Required Reading] Plato, Protagoras, in Plato II, Laches, Protagoras, Meno, Euthydemus, translated W. R. M. Lamb (Harvard University Press, 1999), 317b-323c.

Week 5: Greek Political Philosophy (3): Plato’s Republic (Politics and Philosophy)

[Required Reading] Plato, Republic, Book 1, translated by Allan Bloom (Basic Books, 1968), pp. 3-34.

[Pop Quiz 1] Study questions will be provided a week in advance.

Week 6: Greek Political Philosophy (4): Plato’s Republic (the Best Regime)

[Required Reading] Plato, Republic, Book 4, translated by Allan Bloom (Basic Books, 1968), pp. 97-125.

Week 7: Greek Political Philosophy (5): Plato’s Republic (On Democracy)

[Required Reading] Plato, Republic, Book 9, translated by Allan Bloom (Basic Books, 1968), pp. 251-275.

Week 8: Greek Political Philosophy (6): Aristotle’s Politics (Political Life)

[Required Reading] Aristotle, Politics, Book 1 & Book 2, translated by C.D.C. Reeve (Hackett, 1998), pp. 1-64.

Week 9: Greek Political Philosophy (7): Aristotle’s Politics (Regime Change)

[Required Reading] Aristotle, Politics, Book 4 & Book 5, translated by C.D.C. Reeve (Hackett, 1998), pp. 101-174.

Week 10: Mid Exam (Take-Home)

Week 11: Roman Political Philosophy (1): Cicero’s On Duties (Decorum)

[Required Reading] Cicero, On Duties Book 1, translated by Margaret Atkins (Cambridge University, 1991), pp. 1-62.

Week 12: Roman Political Philosophy (2): Cicero’s On Duties (Utility)

[Required Reading] Cicero, On Duties Book 2, translated by Margaret Atkins (Cambridge University, 1991), pp.63-100.

Week 13: Roman Political Philosophy (3): Cicero’s On Duties (Natural Law)

[Required Reading] Cicero, On Duties Book 3, translated by Margaret Atkins (Cambridge University, 1991), pp. 101-147.

Week 14: Medieval Political Philosophy (1): Augustine’s Confessions (Free Will)

[Required Reading] Augustine, Confessions Book 10, translated by Henry Chadwick (Oxford University Press, 2009), pp. 179-220.

Week 15: Medieval Political Philosophy (2): Augustine’s City of God (Just War)

[Required Reading] Augustine, City of God Book 15 & 19, translated by R. W. Dyson (Cambridge University Press, 1998), pp. 634-693 & 909-964.

Week 16: Medieval Political Philosophy (3): Aquinas’s Summa theologiae (Natural Law)

[Required Reading] Aquinas, Summa theologiae, in Political Writings, edited and translated by R. W. Dyson (Cambridge University Press, ), pp. 101-125.

[Pop Quiz 2] Study questions will be provided a week in advance.

Week 17: Medieval Political Philosophy (4): Aquinas’s Summa theologiae (Right and Justice)

[Required Reading] Aquinas, Summa theologiae, in Political Writings, edited and translated by R. W. Dyson (Cambridge University Press, 2004), pp. 158-191.

Week 18: Renaissance Political Philosophy (1): Machiavelli’s The Prince (Politics and Morality)

[Required Reading] Machiavelli, The Prince Ch.15-19, translated by Harvey Mansfield (University of Chicago Press, 1998), pp. 61-82.

Week 19: Renaissance Political Philosophy (2): Machiavelli’s The Prince (Political Leadership)

[Required Reading] Machiavelli, The Prince Ch.6-10, 20, 25-26, translated by Harvey Mansfield (University of Chicago Press, 1998), pp. 21-44, 83-86, 98-105.

Week 20: Final Exam (In-class Exam)