Instructor: Lauren Hall
Time: MWF, 11-11:50
Location: DU 252
Office Location: Zulauf 402
Office phone: 753-7055
Office hours: M 10-11 am, W
12-1 pm, and by appointment
Instructor's e-mail: lhall@niu.edu
Course Syllabus, POLS 251:
Introduction to Political Philosophy
The purpose of this course is to examine the history and evolution
of political philosophy from its Greek roots to the modern day. In our analysis we will focus on the
following questions: What is the proper relationship between the government and
its citizens? How much control ought the
government to have over individual lives?
How do we define the "good life" and how does our definition
impact our political views? What is the
relationship between the philosopher and the city? What is the highest good for humans? For governments? What is the best regime? Are there any limits to our ability to create
the best regime? What role does nature
play in political life? What effect does
philosophy have on political life? What
does it mean to live a virtuous life? Do
we have a duty to obey unjust laws? Are
rulers sometimes justified in acting cruelly?
What kind of wisdom is necessary in order to be a good ruler? In politics, do the ends justify the
means? Is empire good or bad? What role does human desire play in political
life? What is the goal of politics? What is prudence? Do human beings possess rights? What is tyranny, and why is it bad? What are the merits of democracy, and what
are its drawbacks?
The instructor will spend a small amount of class time lecturing
on key points, but the main section of each class will be devoted to discussion
and analysis by all members of the class.
Participation and attendance each make up 5% of your grade, so it is in
your best interest for your overall learning experience as well as your grade
to participate. With this in mind, it is
required that students bring their copies of the required editions of the
readings to class each day, since we will be reading from the works in addition
to discussing them. Students who miss
more than 6 classes can expect to fail.
The course is only 15 weeks long, and 6 classes (two weeks) represent a
substantial portion of the material presented.
Roughly each week there will be a quiz or a journal entry
due. Quizzes are generally a few
short-answer questions, worth 30 points each.
Quizzes are meant to be easy for those who did the reading. Journal entries are two pages, double-spaced,
12-font. The first page is a summary of
the reading for that week (I will be more specific on a weekly basis), while
the second page is your reaction to/ analysis of that work. This is not meant to be a polished final
essay, but attention to both grammar and organization is necessary.
The midterm paper will be due on Wednesday, October 20th at the
beginning of class.
Late papers will be docked half a letter grade for each day it is
late. Being late to class on the day the
paper is due counts as one late day. The
final exam will be during finals week in the regularly scheduled final exam
slot.
Readings:
Plato. Four Texts on Socrates. Translated with notes by Thomas G. West and
Grace Starry West.
Machiavelli. The Prince. Translated by Dealvarez.
Locke. Second Treatise of Government. Edited by Richard Cox.
Bacon. New Atlantis and the Great Instauration. Edited by Jerry Weinberger, 1989 edition.
Orwell. Animal Farm. 50th
Anniversary Edition, 1996
The breakdown of grades is as follows:
11 Quizzes/ Journals (30 points each, lowest grade dropped) - 300
points, 30% of
final grade (Roughly one quiz and one journal for each book we
read)
Midterm paper - 300 points, 30% of final
grade
Final exam - 300 points, 30% of final
grade
Attendance/ Participation - 100 points, 10% of final
grade
WAYS TO DO WELL IN THIS CLASS
1. The point-system is meant to
encourage you to keep track of your grades as the semester goes on. This class is easy to get an A in if you do
the reading, come prepared to class, and try your hardest. No one has the definite answers to many of
these questions. All I ask is that we
make the attempt. With that said, a
large part of learning is asking the questions that lead us toward a certain
end. Questions count as
participation. Chances are good that if
you have a question, many others in the class are wondering the same
thing. Also, contrary to popular belief,
even instructors in Political Science do not have all the answers, so please do
not feel "dumb" for asking.
Socrates did almost nothing but ask questions and he is considered one
of the greatest philosophers of all time.
2. Go to the University Writing
Center. I will be requiring that you
take one journal to the Writing Center prior to October 13th. This serves two purposes. This will prepare you for the types of things
I will be looking for on the midterm paper, as well as give you some practice
in editing with helpful staff members.
The Writing Center is located in the lower level of Stevenson Tower
South.
3. Students who come to office
hours often, who participate often in class, or otherwise show that they care
will have an edge, not only with how much they learn, but also as far as my
willingness to help out in tight jams.
My office hours are MW 10 to 11 am, but again, I am always willing to
make appointments at other times.
ROUGH SCHEDULE (I reserve the right to change this schedule, and it probably
will change, since we may focus more on some authors than on others. I will announce the quizzes and journals one
week before they are due) The dates
listed with readings or “Begin so-and-so” are meant to indicate that there is
reading due that day. I will announce
specific readings for the next class in class that day. If you miss the assignment, contact another
student in the class for the reading.
August
23 - Intro to class
25 - Intro to political philosophy
27 - Begin Plato's Apology
30
September
1-
3- NO CLASS – APSA Conference in Chicago
6 - NO CLASS
8
10 - Start Plato's Crito
13
15
17 - No reading due; lecture on Aristotle's Politics
20 - Aristotle's Politics, cont'd.
22 - Start Machiavelli
24
27
29
October
1
4
6
8
11 - Begin Bacon's New Atlantis
13
15
18
20 – Begin Locke, Midterm paper due
22
25
27
29
November
1
3
5
8
10
12 – Begin Orwell's Animal Farm
15
17
19
22
24 - No class, Thanksgiving Break
26 - No class
29 – Overview and synthesis
December
1 - Review
3 - Concluding remarks
Academic Misconduct
I take academic misconduct (including plagiarism, cheating, and
any other form of passing someone else's work off as your own) very
seriously. Offenders will be reported to
Judicial Affairs and will receive a zero on the assignment in question.
The
Department of Political Science will recognize, on an annual basis, outstanding
undergraduate papers written in conjunction with 300-400 level political
science courses or directed studies. Authors do not have to be political
science majors or have a particular class standing. Winners are expected to
attend the Department’s spring graduation ceremony where they will receive a
certificate and $50.00. Papers, which can be submitted by students or faculty,
must be supplied in triplicate to a department secretary by February 28. All
copies should have two cover pages – one with the student’s name and one
without the student’s name. Only papers written in the previous calendar year can be considered for the
award. However, papers completed in the current spring semester are eligible
for the following year’s competition even if the student has graduated.
Under
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, NIU is committed to making
reasonable accommodations for persons with documented disabilities. Those
students with disabilities that may have some impact on their coursework and
for which they may require accommodations should notify the Center for
Access-Ability Resources (CAAR) on the fourth floor of the Health Services
Building. CAAR will assist students in making appropriate accommodations with
course instructors. It is important that CAAR and instructors be informed of
any disability-related needs during the first two weeks of the semester.
Undergraduates
are strongly encouraged to consult the Department of Political Science web site
on a regular basis. This up-to-date, central source of information will assist
students in contacting faculty and staff, reviewing course requirements and
syllabi, exploring graduate study, researching career options, tracking
department events, and accessing important details related to undergraduate
programs and activities. To reach the site, go to http://polisci.niu.edu