polgov lt 1

politics

a complex social phenomenon that includes the activities of governments, political parties and leading figures within them, lobbies and interest groups, and the general public, as well as other political actors

positivism

under political science; the belief that scientific knowledge is the only knowledge

political science

based on empirical (observable) data and the scientific method. it is the study of facts (if things do or do not) with regards to politics

political thought

normative/prescriptive; looks for the ideal order/action in politics and is linked with ethics. asks the question of why and studies values, moral codes, social standards and ideals. conflict results to intellectual disputes

relativism

under political thought; argues what is right or wrong depends on context or other variables

polis

greek city states

sparta

peloponnesian league; strict discipline prepared aristocratic youth for military service. they were poor and their main source of income was agriculture. depended on allies and aided oligarchic factions like melos. was threatened by athens but eventually defeated athens in the peloponnesian war during the plague.

athens

delian league; thriving commercial hub for trade and natural resources. dominated and defeated rivals at sea, turning the delian league into an empire. they collected payments from allies in exchange for security. democratic government. grew overconfident after the siege of melos and fell from the lack of good policy and morals.

parthenon

temple constructed 2 years before athens surrender to sparta, built during the peak of athens

pericles

greek politician and general during the golden age who led during the first 2 years of the peloponnesian war. he reuled athens as it became the center of education and culture in ancient greece

artistotle

plato’s most famous student who tutored alexander the great

peloponnesian war

dealt with ideological conflict: democratic athens vs oligarchic sparta. athens attacked melos, a spartan ally. melos was idealism and athens was realism. athens was overconfident and lost due to poor policy.

idealism

ideas of nationalism and fight for

realpolitik

realism; based on practical considerations such as security, strength, and power rather than ideological or moral ones

melian dialogue

“can international politics be based on a moral order derived from the principles of peace and justice, or will it remain the playground of conflicting national interests and power?”

thucydides realism

“If there is no international government that enforces order, independent states survive only when they are powerful.” concluded the absence of justice dooms society to fail

the funeral oration

pericles spoke at a public funeral stating that under duress, they gave in to the social consequences of war (trafficking of women and children, murder), faced defeat, and were colonized. he commemorated the athenians who died in the war

arguments against truth and justice

relativism and subjectivism

relativism

is there a single and definitive way of doing things? do right and wrong vary under cultural context? the idea that objective truth does not exist

subjectivism

every man has his own standards. individuals have a different notion of whats right and wrong

rhetoric

persuasion through public speaking

sophists

early debaters who discussed the moral basis of political life; debated the question whether it was better to be “just”. differed in explaining origin and function of society’s rules

protagoras

social relativism; Presented justice as an indispensable part of political life that both the whole and the individual benefitted from its practice. Plato agreed w/ him on the centrality of justice but disagreed on his weak arguments with material wealth. Had a strong communitarian, anti-individualist political position. “no right or wrong of disposing the dead, nor any correct standard of justice; each city determines its own conception of justice and its own customs and laws which are right for that city”

thrasymachus

subjectivism, “Every community is controlled by its own interest, with laws that favor itself, so that being just is at the collective’s advantage but the individual’s disadvantage.” No room for justice → subjective truth leading to conflict and social violence. basically he dont give a fuck

antiphon

• Expounded on the disadvantage of justice by highlighting difficulties, costs, and dangers to the individual who is just

  • “Do we need to obey a flawed rule of law?”. “An individual may disobey the law as long as they can get away with it”

socrates

believed that virtue is knowledge (knowing what is right = doing what is right in spite of what the law says). “i know that i know nothing” unique among is peers in writing nothing and claiming to know nothing. plato was his student. always rebutted sophists “no one does wrong voluntarity” “unity of virtues”

elenchus

user of socratic method. Athenians associate him with anti-democratic sentiments or as one of the Sophists. Unfairly associated with the rule of the Thirty Tyrants because of his earlier association with Critas (reign of terror) and Alcibiades (military commander): both previously his studentseb

ebenstein

“No other writer has equaled Plato in combining penetrating and dialectical reasoning with poetic imagery and symbolism.”

glaucon

Believed justice is nothing more than a transactional compromise because the alternative is worse. Argued the only reason why people act justly is because of fear of punishment. Man is naturally unjust, he suffers in poverty if he is virtuous

cephalus

• Respected elder; defined justice as living up to legal obligations With Adeimantus:

  • Introduced the idea of justice as a currency

  • “Justice can contribute to good reputation”

  • Reputation of justice > justice itself

• Admitted his understanding of justice is flawed

polemarchus

• Justice is helping friends and harming enemies

  • Socrates to him: “Is it just to treat someone badly because they’re an enemy? What determines enemies and friends? Can a friend suddenly become an enemy and v.v.?”

platos theory of the soul

• Rational desires, “wisdom lovers” (knowledge, truth)

• Spirited desires, “honor-lovers” (honor, victory, good rep)

• Appetitive desires, “money-lovers” (food, drink, sex)

  • “Man and city are alike. Humans w/o souls are hollow. Cities w/o virtue are rotten.”

kallipolis

Guardians (rational), soldiers (spirited), workers (appetitive)

specialization

• “Each member of the Kallipolis must exclusively practice the unique craft for which they have a natural aptitude”

allegory of the cave

• Most people are like prisoners in a cave, seeing only a shadow of reality

• Only the philosopher is capable of breaking out of the prison of the senses

• They are initially blinded, disoriented by the light (casting aside comfortable presuppositions through education in reason

• They can now see the real world of the Forms and the Form of the Good that illuminates it

  • The difference between the ordinary person and the philosopher’s understanding is that of dreaming and full consciousness

    • logically matches the philosopher-king recommendation

forms

intelligible, unchanging objects, accessible to the mind but not the senses, which provide the only reliable standards for knowledge and good judgement.

aristotle

• 17 yo, sent to the Platonic Academy in Athens

• Remained there for 20 years, became a researcher and teacher

• Was called by Plato “the Brain”

• 343, tutored 13 yo Alexander, son of King Philip

• Established his own school in Athens, the Lyceum, financially supported by Alexander the Great

• Was aware of power politics but argued dominion is not what politics is

• Strong anti-Macedonian sentiment among Athenians following Alexander’s death; he was accused of impiety

• Escaped prosecution: “Athenians will not sin twice against philosophy”

  • Died in 322 BCE in Chalkis in Euboea

human nature

• “Man is a political animal"

• Only in a political society can humans live a good life

• To fulfill one’s potential is to achieve “eudaimonia” – happiness, flourishing, fulfillment

  • Not about maximizing pleasure over pain; key to living a virtuous life

  • Ethical life only possible in political society

doctrine of the mean

• “Human virtue lies in finding the mean, a balance between the animal part and the rational part of our nature.”

• Moderate state is a virtuous state

• Being a citizen of a just polis is virtuous citizenship – allowing man to reach his full potential

  • One’s happiness is equally dependent on being a citizen of a well-fun polis

eudaimonia

• happiness, flourishing, fulfillment

telos

purpose, end, or goal

ciceros republicanism

• Cicero combined philosophy and all-around culture with an active political life

• He represented the pinnacle of republican theory and statesmanship

• Profound commitment to its principles

  • Patriotic citizen; believed country is foremost

just war theory

• “Two ways of settling a dispute: by discussion and by force”

• Peace is the true natural condition of humanity

  • Armed conflict as a last resort

Jus ad bellum

“Justice of War” Reasons for war: self-defense, supremacy

jus in bello

“Justice in War” How war is conducted

• Strategies that limit social cost