What role should rhetorical arguments play in a healthy democracy? How can the inspiring oratory of a reformer be distinguished from the inflammatory rhetoric of a demagogue? When politicians attempt to be persuasive by appealing to our emotions and our self-interest, when they use images as well as arguments, are they contributing to democratic deliberation or corrupting it? The course will investigate these questions by studying three debates in the history of political thought: Plato versus Aristotle, Thomas Hobbes versus Giambattista Vico, and John Rawls versus Richard Rorty. Along the way we will read and listen to examples of actual political rhetoric, both historical and contemporary. Format: seminar/discussion. Requirements: two 4-page papers, one 10- to 12-page paper, and one in-class presentation. Prerequisites: previous course in political theory or philosophy, or permission of instructor. Enrollment limit: 24 (expected: 20). Political Theory Subfield

Hour: GARSTEN