PSCI 203(F) (formerly 130) Introduction to Modern Political Philosophy

Many of the principles indispensable to contemporary democratic states evolved from modern (sixteenth to nineteenth century) intellectual and political thought. In this course, we'll look at how these early thinkers grappled with questions of political obligation (to whom do we owe obedience? when is it just to disobey political authority?), human nature, security, liberty, and rights. Particular attention will be paid to the tension between individual rights and liberties on the one hand, and the "goods" and virtues associated with community on the other. We'll explore this tension as reflected in the contrast between the more individual-oriented theories of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Immanuel Kant, and J.S. Mill, and the community-oriented theories of Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Karl Marx. Requirements: class participation, two 6- to 8-page papers, and a final exam. No prerequisites. This is an introductory course, open to all students, including first-year students. Political Theory Subfield

Hour: M. DEVEAUX