Course Description

Why do we concern ourselves with classical political theory? The world that gave birth to these writings has disappeared. The men who wrote them are long dead. The particular practices and institutions that are debated and defended in these texts seem irrelevant to our contemporary political condition or even – as in the case of slavery – abhorrent. The relevance of these writings might seem especially questionable at this point in history, as we face the challenges of an increasingly global economy, dizzying technological innovations, and the acceleration of intercultural exchange.

The premise of this course, however, is that a serious engagement with ancient texts remains indispensable for us. Their importance rests in part on the vast gulf that separates the ancient world from our modern self-understanding and in part on the many and perhaps surprising similarities between the questions that are addressed and those that we continue to ask. Although we will be careful to situate these texts in their historical context, we will not reduce them to their historical conditions. We will be reading them as a way to reflect on persistent topics concerning how we should think, act and live in the world today. As Socrates put it – the task we are engaged in here is not simply a random conversation, but a dialogue about how we ought to live our lives.

If you encounter difficulty with the readings or the assignments, please do not hesitate to speak to me during office hours or arrange another time to meet. You may also want to take advantage of the Writing Center (5768) if you are having difficulty with your writing or the Learning Assistance Center (5929) if you have a learning disability.

Course Objectives

This course is designed to aid students in

A.developing familiarity with significant works of political thought

B.enriching reading skills appropriate to advanced theoretical and philosophical texts;

C.improving writing skills and expressive abilities, both technically and aesthetically;

D.expanding independent critical capacities, both in analyzing moral arguments on their own merits and in relating those arguments to their own lives

E.enhancing capacity to work with and learn from other members of the class.