exam #1 (pt)

political theory

nature and purpose of human association

how

what question does nature ask?

why

what question does purpose ask?

politics (tangible)

the constantly ongoing process that determines who gets what when and how

politics (intengible)

politics is the authoritative allocation of values

political ideology

our relationship to government

polis

a city state; political unit that is the size of a city -- had lots of slaves

wrote things down, systematic debate about ideas, had a unique political set up never done before (polis)

What are the three reasons we’re starting with the greeks?

athens

who is the polis led by?

men

who were considered the __actual__ citizens

geography

this plays a huge role in the Greeks politics because it forces individuals to live in small communities

mountains

what kind of geographical structure forms the communal life of greece?

communal life

this means that everyone had a stake in their government and had a sense of equality

direct democracy

what did the greeks communal life eventually lead to?

political and educational

what are the two dimensions of the polis?

people’s assembly, courts, administration, constitution

what does the political dimension consist of?

people’s assembly

this is a part of the political dimension and it is the heart of Greecian politics (it is their “achilles heel)

courts

this is a part of the political dimension and it contains juries, judges but had no lawyers at the time so you had to defend yourself

administration

this is a part of the political dimension and it helps to pass laws

constitution

this is a part pf the political dimension; the greeks were the first to do this and had a very war-like (belicos) society

autocracy, few, democracy

What are the three main government types?

autocracy

a system where unlimited or almost unlimited power is concentrated in a single person; essentially a dictatorship

authoritarian, totalitarian

what are the two subtypes of an autocracy

authoritatian

which subtype of autocracy? —> almost unlimited power but often has to share power with others examples include Mussolini, Napoleon, and Putin

totalitarian

which subtype of autocracy? —> total power, unlimited political power one example is Hitler

aristocracy, oligarchy

what are the two subtypes of the government which few individuals rule?

“few” government

only a small amount of individuals have power, usually an elite political group

aristocracy

what subtype of the “few” government? —> the nobility who has shared power and have the citizens interests at heart

oligarchy

which subtype of the “few” governement —> group who is only interested in themselves and rules to benefit themselves and not the citizens

democracy

government which is ruled by many — ruled by the people

direct democracy, representative (republic) democracy

what are the two types of democracy?

direct democracy

what type of democracy? —> a form of government in which policies and laws are decided by a majority of all those eligible rather than by a body of elected representatives. basically all the people have a say

representative (republic) democracy

what type of democracy? —> the president elected by the people represents the people

educational

what dimension of the polis? —> it teaches through laws which are the universal claims given by gods (traditional values)

laws

What are key for the educational system? these things create order and tell us what we can and can’t do, and also they are considered universal moral claims given to them by the gods in addition to this they also help connect the people’s assembly to the educational system

virtue

this is the ability to put your own self interests aside for the good of the whole society and it glues the people’s assembly and laws together

jaggernaut

massive brutal force

relativism

what is the “jaggernaut” that the polis gets slammed by?

there are no moral truths and everything is relative

give a simple definition of relativism

factual, moral/ethical

what are the two types of relativism?

factual

which type of relativism? —> different societies have different facts and argue that since societies are different that the truth is relative because of their differences

moral/ethical

which type of relativism? —> the view that moral judgments are right or wrong across people’s cultures

sophists

these people are the internal enemy of the polis

• teachers of rhetoric who taught you how to speak/argue your cases and persuade others

• helped others get what they wanted in their direct democracy

• manipulate others to serve themselves for wealth, power and pleasure

socrates and plato

who were the only two who saw what would cause the polis’ downfall?

virtue

when —— disappears the sophists begin to manipulate others to serve themselves, they became more selfish and took the government down

truth and relativism

to succeed in manipulating others the sophists had to keep a balance between what two things?

Pelopponesian war

during the time of the sophists and relativism what other major event was happening during this?

sparta vs athens

who was the pelopponesian war between?

nature vs convention

who is the “battle royale” of athens between?

nature

these people say that there are such things of moral truth

convention

these people say that the people create the laws and what is right and wrong — they try to convert people into believing there are no gods

mob rule

convention people made ———— happen when they began to join the ppls assembly and make rules to benefit themselves

nature vs nurture

what is one very important theme that we will go back to

Socrates

what philosopher?

• 5th century bc

• simply talks to people but how he does it is remarkable

• tries to make us think for ourselves

• does not give us any answers

• dies by poisoning himself

Socratic Method

form of argumentative dialogue between individuals, based on asking and answering questions.

light questioning, discussion about virtues and good life, ask for definitions and meanings, the definitions are scrutinized by socrates, declare ignorance

what are the 5 steps of the socratic method?

people can walk away thinking that everything is relative since socrates never gives an answer

What is the problem with the socratic method? (especially the last step)

what type of person should you be? and what is the meaning of a good life?

What does Socrates believe? What is his overall philosophy (looking at two main questions)

soul

Socrates says that taking care of your —— is living the virtuous life and it will lead you to the good life

most important part of a person, it is that with which one thinks, set of our moral faculties, self

What is Socrates meaning of the soul? (four parts)

save the polis

What is Socrates main goal?

Plato

427 BC - athenian family

• wanted to become a playwright but ran into Socrates and wanted to learn from him

• lived in Athens during Peloponnesian war

• student of socrates and wrote down all of his teachings

aristocracy

Plato serves what kind of government?

mob rule and killed Socrates

What is the main reason (2) Plato does not like democracy?

The Republic of Plato

Name of Plato’s book and it is a blueprint/construct used to build a government —- it tries to discover the virtue of justice using socratic method

justice

What virtue is used in Plato’s book?

nature

In nature vs nurture Plato believes —— is changeable

Cephalus and Polymarchus

Who are the two main nature boys in Plato’s book?

Thrasymachus

Who is the main sophist (convention) in Plato’s book?

Cephalus

Which character in Plato’s Republic?

• he defines justice as “honesty and rendering to the gods and men their due”

• Socrates gives him the example of the sword

Polymarchus

Which character in Plato’s Republic?

• defines justice the same way as Cephalus

• Socrates asks him what he would do to his enemy

Thrasymachus

Which character in Plato’s Republic?

• defines justice as “a name given by men who hold power”

• he is an amalgam (mixture of ideas packed into 1)

• he says that “injustice is more profitable than justice”

injustice

To Thrasymachus (convention) ——- is more profitable than justice

wealth, power, pleasure

What three main things do convention boys want? (they will do anything to get them)

there is an end to a just act, acting unjustly will divide, happiness does not come from being unjust

Give the shortened version of what Socrates says to Thrasymachus in response to his statement “injustice is more profitable than justice” (3 parts)

Glaucon

What character in Plato’s Republic?

• acts as a convention boy but is really a nature boy (devils advocate) to challenge Socrates

• talks about three types of good things

immediate beneficial no consequences, immediate beneficial good consequences, immediate harm good consequences

What are the three “good” things that Glaucon talks about?

immediate harm, good consequences

If you were a convention boy which type of good thing would you choose?

justly

acting —— will NOT get you wealth, power and pleasure

good reputation

What is the good consequence that comes out of choosing “immediate harmful, good consequence”? (convention boys)

immediate benefits, beneficial consequences

If you were a nature boy which type of good thing would you choose?

taking care of your soul

What is the immediate benefit to nature boys?

good life

What is the beneficial consequence to nature boys?

addictive

Socrates tries to convince the people that they have —— souls and he tries to change them

city and soul

What analogy does Socrates use to try and change the people?

just soul, just citizens, just city

What is the underlying formula that Plato uses to create a new city?

People’s Assembly

What did Plato remove in his city that caused mob rule in the polis?

justice is Ib w/ RCb

What is socrates trying to achieve at all times?

rulers, auxiliaries, productive

Plato’s city was composed of 3 classes of individuals what was it?

guardians

The rules and auxiliaries together make up?

wisdom, courage, temperance, justice

What are the four key virtues to a just city?

wisdom, rulers

what virtue? and who does it apply to?

• ability to look beyond the surface of things to find the deeper meaning

courage, auxiliaries

what virtue? and who does it apply to?

• going towards danger instead of running from it

temperance, everyone

what virtue? and who does it apply to?

• similar to long suffering or moderation, self control

• “acceptance of your place in society”

acceptance of your place in society

How does Plato define temperance?

justice, everyone

what virtue? and who does it apply to?

• accepting your place in society because that is what you’re competent at

only if human nature is changeable

What is the one way does the just city and just soul analogy work? (Plato’s belief)

reason, spirit, appetite

What are the 3 classes of the soul?

reason, wisdom

what class of the soul? and what virtue does it pertain to?

• your intellectual faculties

spirit, courage

what class of the soul? and what virtue does it pertain to?

• the controller between reason and appetites

• often called conscience or your heart