History of Political Thinking Syllabus
Winter Semester 2023
Academic Year: 2023/24
Course Content:
This course is organized around six fundamental concepts in genesis of classical political thinking:
1.
Course Content:
This course is organized around six fundamental concepts in genesis of classical political philosophy:
1. The Significance and the Tradition of Political Philosophy
(Tradition in History of Philosophy: India, China, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Jewish Messianism and Islam)
2. The Concept of Justice Plato ´s Republic and Aristotle ´s definition of justice and the Concept of Equality in Christian´ Idea
(Criticism of Democracy and Tyranny; Hellenic World in the Light of Stoic Cosmopolitanism; Theocentric Philosophy of State and Society; Rationalistic and Utilitarian Philosophy of Struggle of Power in the Middle Ages)
3. The Concept of Hobbes ´s Authority and Machiavelli ´s modern political theory of power
(Philosophy of State Power and Total State)
4. The Concept of Rights in Locke´s political thinking
(Theory of State Sovereignty; Enlightenment Rationalist Concepts of Man and Contractual theories in the Enlightenment)
5. The Concept of Democracy in Rousseau ´s modern political philosophy
(New views on the position and role of man in society)
6. The Concept of Society and its Consequences in Hegel's State Science
(Philosophy of History, Humanity and Alienation)
Pass to the exam:
Elaborate a philosophical questions (5 questions from the above 6 topics) (in Windows Word, line 1, Times New Romain, font size 1) and short answers 50%
Written exam 50%
Course materials:
www.oxfordhandbooks.com – Oxford handbooks online
Sabine, G.H. – Thorson, T.L. A History of Political Theory. Cambridge University Press (1973) IV. ed.
Recommended literature:
Plato: The Republic, Aristotle: Politics, Machiavelli: The Prince, Hobbes: Leviathan, Locke: Two Treatises of Government, Mill: Rights of Men, Rousseau: The Social Contract
Course Requirements and Assessments will be clarified and confirmed later on this web page in accordance with the instructions from UMB.