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slide # 1 PS 226 - Introduction

slide # 1 PS 226 - Introduction. Introduction What is Political Philosophy? 1. What it isn’t: empirical research on this or that State, politician, etc. (that’s the Political Scientist’s job) b) identifying explanatory theories, after the model of the sciences

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slide # 1 PS 226 - Introduction

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  1. slide # 1PS 226 - Introduction Introduction What is Political Philosophy? 1. What it isn’t: empirical research on this or that State, politician, etc. (that’s the Political Scientist’s job) b) identifying explanatory theories, after the model of the sciences (including the social sciences) c) preaching and politicking (sober analysis is our job; but policy implications are important, and drawing those out is an essential part of the job. The line between those and “politicking” may be fine - but it’s there.)

  2. slide # 2 • 2. What it is: • (a): Analysis of political notions, ideas, concepts, expressions: What do they mean? • (b) The attempt to find good principles of politics - and, especially, to find out how to find this out.

  3. slide # 3 The Elements of Politics People: Organisms; Minds, sets of Interests, and Abilities, esp. to articulate them to others Society: Natural group of interacting people Individuative sense: “a” Society isa collection of people connected by interaction: Anyone who interacts with at least some other members is a member. (This is intentionally imprecise; one can specify the types of interaction to generates differing kinds of societies, as well as frequency, intensity, and so on.) Association: group whose members associate (1) deliberately and voluntarily; (2) for a purpose Community: its members “commune with” other members, feel a sense of common values, group identity Nation: Community with aspirations to be a state State: Politically organized society: society with a Government Government Agency in a society with power to make and enforce laws, with coercive powers for their enforcement Law: Authoritative directive over the whole society, Morality: Informal rules for society, decentralized enforcement by individuals

  4. slide # 4 Questions 1. Does the State need justifying? Why? 2. What - if anything - would justify the State? [How does one go about justifying anything in the political realm? In the practical realm generally? Here we need a concept of the “practical realm” and of “justification”] 3. Is it justified?? If so, what sort of State? Why? 4. Is our State justified?

  5. slide # 5 Justifying the State: The Options 1. Accept the view that it needs justifying, and a. Claim that some kind of State is morally justified b. Claim that it isn’t, meaning we shouldn’t have one (anarchism). 2. Claim that it isn’t, but that it doesn’t matter - moral justification isn’t needed; the people in power just do whatever they can get away with.

  6. slide # 6 • How Extensive a State? • 1. Zero: Anarchy • 2. The Minimal State: Protection Only • 3. The Regulative State: Keep things Fair • 4. The Welfare State: The “Safety Net” • 5. The Socialist State: Run the Productive Services (but retain “Civil” Rights) • 6. The Totalitarian State: Control everything

  7. slide # 7 Who Runs the Show? (Government by Whom?) “the One”: Monarchy, Dictatorship ... 2. “The Few”: Aristocracy (1): The Best Aristocracy (2): Those Descended from the “Best” Oligarchy: The Rich Theocracy: The Priesthood Timocracy: The Army Philosophers (1): The Wise Philosophers (2): The PhD’s Bureaucracy: The Civil Servants 3. “The Many”: Democracy Direct: All Laws by Majority Vote Representative: Elected Legislators, etc. The course discusses these questions and options - in light of many famous (and some not so famous) philosophers.

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