1-50 hopt final

A comprehensive set of flashcards covering key philosophical concepts, figures, and theories discussed in the lecture.

Bentham

Core idea is that morality and politics should maximize happiness, treating all individuals equally.

Two masters (Bentham)

Human behavior is governed by pleasure and pain; actions and laws are evaluated by their impact on happiness or suffering.

Utilitarianism

Principle that the best action produces the greatest happiness for the greatest number, focusing on consequences.

Problem of utilitarianism

Can justify harming minorities if it increases total happiness, prioritizing aggregate outcomes over individual rights.

Mill & Taylor

Core idea emphasizes that freedom and individuality are essential for human development and truth.

Harm principle (Mill)

Power over individuals is justified only to prevent harm to others, not for their own good.

Free speech argument 1 (Mill/Taylor)

A suppressed opinion might be true, risking the loss of truth.

Free speech argument 2 (Mill/Taylor)

Even false opinions are valuable as they compel us to defend and understand our beliefs.

Free speech argument 3 (Mill/Taylor)

Truth is often partial; opposing views may each contain aspects of the truth that must be combined.

Conformity (Mill/Taylor)

Social pressure can suppress individuality and independent thought, leading to norm compliance.

Individuality (Mill)

The ability to form personal beliefs and lifestyles, essential for intellectual and moral development.

Mill’s “despotism for barbarians”

Authoritarian rule may be justified for 'uncivilized' societies to aid their progress, revealing liberalism vs colonialism tension.

Marx & Engels

Core idea emphasizes that history is driven by class struggle inherent in economic systems.

Historical materialism

Theory that material economic conditions shape political institutions and historical development.

Base vs superstructure

Economic base (production, labor) determines the superstructure (laws, politics, culture).

Bourgeoisie

The capitalist class that owns the means of production and profits from the labor of workers.

Proletariat

The working class that must sell their labor to survive and is exploited under capitalism.

Exploitation (Marx)

Workers produce more value than they are paid, with surplus taken as profit by capitalists.

Modes of production

Historical sequence of economic systems: primitive communism → slavery → feudalism → capitalism → communism.

Primitive communism

Early state with no private property or class divisions, resources shared collectively.

Slavery (mode of production)

System where the ruling class owns both production means and enslaved individuals forced to labor.

Feudalism

A system where landowners control land and peasants work it in exchange for protection.

Capitalism

System where private owners control production and workers sell labor for wages.

Communism (Marx)

A classless society with no private property, production organized for human need.

Why capitalism collapses

It creates and exploits the proletariat, concentrates wealth, leading to conflict and revolution.

He-Yin Zhen

Core idea is that women’s oppression arises from economic inequality, patriarchy, and the state.

Critique of liberal feminism (He-Yin)

Education and rights alone do not liberate women, leaving systems of domination intact.

Separation of men and women

Socially constructed system where men hold power and women depend on them.

Obstacles to love (He-Yin)

Economic inequality distorts relationships, making marriage a financial transaction rather than genuine.

“Liberation” as male self-interest

Men support women's liberation for selfish reasons, not for true equality.

Surface vs structural change (He-Yin)

Increased rights do not equal real equality if economic structures of domination remain.

He-Yin vs Marx

Marx focuses on class oppression; He-Yin includes gender and patriarchy as fundamental oppressions.

Mussolini

Core idea is that the state is absolute, and individuals find meaning only through their role in the nation.

Fascism

Political system emphasizing unity, discipline, and authority, rejecting individualism and democracy.

Freedom (Mussolini)

Defined as participation in and obedience to the state, not personal choice.

Anti-individualism

Belief that individual desires should be subordinated to the collective's needs.

Fasces / lictor’s rods

Symbol of unity and authority, representing strength from collective unity.

Arendt

Core idea is that totalitarianism seeks total domination by eliminating independent thinking.

Ideology (Arendt)

System of thought providing total explanation and replacing independent thinking.

Three elements of ideology (Arendt)

Total explanation, independence from reality, and strict logical consistency.

Total explanation

Ideology claims to explain all events—past, present, future.

Independence from reality

Ideology ignores facts that contradict its claims.

Logical consistency

Ideology applies rigid logic to extreme conclusions, justifying actions like violence.

Terror (Arendt)

Use of violence to eliminate those seen as obstacles to ideological laws.

Laws of history / nature

Ideological claims suggesting events are inevitable, justifying violence.

Loneliness (Arendt)

Condition of social disconnection making individuals easier to control.

Education (Arendt)

Used in totalitarian regimes to eliminate independent thinking and enforce ideological conformity.

Freedom (Arendt)

Ability to initiate new actions through independent thought.

Why totalitarianism destroys freedom

Replaces spontaneity with inevitability and eliminates independent thought.

Césaire

Core idea is that colonialism dehumanizes both the colonized and the colonizer.