Modern Philosphy
Question 1
Socrates is considered by many to be the father of classical political thought. His teachings and philosophies, however, continue to resonate in the modern era.
Plato, Socrates’ pupil, opened his own school, The Academy, in 385 where he continued many of the teachings of Socrates and began to further develop his own. His most famous writing, The Republic, explains his ideas on the role of the state and the nature of justice. One of his students was Aristotle.
Aristotle was Plato’s most famous pupil, even though he frequently disagreed with his teacher. Through his life he tutored Alexander the Great and founded his own school, The Lyceum.
Discuss their views on the proper roles of the state and how they might compare to the US state (government) today. Do you think the philosophers would agree with the current structure of the American government? Why or why not?
Question 2
Aquinas was greatly influenced by Aristotle. He suggested that faith and reason are complementary rather than contradictory, and that political authority comes from God. Aquinas, like others before and after, also believed there were opportunities for “just war”, even though that seems contrary to religious teachings.
Though Augustine was not baptized into the Church until his later years, his views on religion and government are influential as to how this relationship should exist. He also believed the Bible should not be literally interpreted if it diverges from science, though argued politics and religion cannot be separated because the state is rooted in sin.
Separation of Church and State is a tenet of American Government. Discuss how Augustine and Aquinas might view the current relationship between the government and religion.
Question 3
Thomas Hobbes, the father of modern philosophy, is a firm proponent of a separation of church and state. He is also very direct in his work, The Leviathan, where he depicts man as selfish and argues that it is this selfishness that often leads to war. For peace to be established, man must agree to a social contract with a monarch.
John Locke’s most famous work, Two Treatises of Government, influenced many of America’s Founding Fathers, including Thomas Jefferson and his writing of the Declaration of Independence. Most notably, Locke argues that man is born with the right to life, liberty, and property – all of which are natural rights. He also contends that if government violates the social contract then the people have the right to abolish the government.
Jena-Jacques Rousseau believed man was inherently good, but society is not. It’s this society that causes man to form alliances to protect their interests against others. Once alliances are formed societies are then naturally formed, thus creating a social contract between the citizens of the new society (alliance
How does Hobbes’s view of man differ from that of Locke and Rousseau? How does this lead to Hobbes’s preference for a monarchy and Locke and Rousseau’s preference for democracy? Be specific and support your thoughts.
Question 4
For this discussion, please identify and discuss two of the major differences between Marxism and Capitalism. In your discussion, provide specific examples of how each are implemented or used today (cite your sources as necessary).
Question 5
Sartre, a winner of the 1964 Nobel Prize in Literature, was a political activist and a member of the Peace Movement. In general, he was opposed to imperialism and believed that society was constantly in conflict as a result of the struggles between those with power (the have’s) and those without power (the have not’s). At the same time, he was an existentialist, holding individuals responsible for their own actions of good faith and toward freedom.
Hanna Arendt is the only political theorist (as she preferred to be identified as) we study this term, though there are others. Much of Arendt’s work addresses the nature of political power, specifically the subjects of politics, authority, and totalitarianism. Her perspective as a German-born Jew, as a person who helped Jewish refugees in France during WWII, and as one who was forced to flee France for America as a result of German occupation, provides her a solid perspective on a her focus areas – many of which are used to examine even more current issues.
Rawls is the most historically recent political philosopher we study in this course, having just passed away in 2002. As a political philosopher, much of his focus is on justice. His primary argument is that “most reasonable principles of justice are those everyone would accept and agree to from a fair position.” It is not uncommon for his philosophies to be applied to current issues, whether controversial or not. Arendt was presented the National Humanities Medal in 1999 by former President Bill Clinton who suggested Rawls had helped a generation of Americans restore their faith in democracy.
Select one idea each from the modern philosophers – Sartre, Arendt, and Rawls – and discuss how that idea is influencing a modern government today. Is there an idea you’d like to see influencing government, that isn’t?
