Instructor: Dr. Daniel W. Skubik
Office: James Bldg, Rm. #266
Voice: 951.343.4288 / Fax: 951.343.4520
E-Mail: dskubik@calbaptist.edu


 Classical Political Philosophy

HIS 433 / PHI 423 / POL 423 (Main Campus)
MWF, 11:15am-12:10pm, J171

California Baptist University
Fall Semester, 2006

 

This course examines the origin of Western political, social and legal thought in order to understand the present through the great political works of the past. It begins in ancient Greece in early democratic Athens and moves through Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. From there, the course explores classical Rome, focusing on writers like Polybius and Cicero. Since the advent of Christianity shaped the development of medieval political thought, the political thought of writers such as St. Augustine, John of Salisbury, St. Thomas Aquinas, Marsilio of Padua, Dante and Thomas More are discussed. Because Judaism and Islam also greatly influenced development of Western political theory and practice, selected writings from Alfarabi and Maimonides will also be covered. This course is cross-listed across three programs, and can be taken for upper division credit in history, philosophy, or political science.


Required Texts

 

Plato, The Republic [any version will suit, but suggest Dover Thrift Edition, 2000]

 

Aristotle, Politics [any version will suit, but suggest Dover Thrift Edition, 2000]

 

Cicero, On Government [any version will suit, but suggest Penguin Classic, 1993]

 

St. Augustine, The Political Writings [Henry Paolucci (ed), Regnery Publishing, 1962/1996]

 

Alfarabi, The Political Writings [Charles Butterworth (trans), Cornell University Press, 2001]

 

Maimonides, The Guide of the Perplexed [Chaim Rabin (trans), Hackett Publishing, 1995]

 

St. Thomas Aquinas, The Political Ideas of St. Thomas Aquinas [Dino Bigongiari (ed), Free Press, 1997]

 

Thomas More, Utopia [any version will suit, but suggest Clarence Miller (trans), Yale Nota Bene, 2001]


Web pages and handouts will be referenced/distributed throughout the term, contents of which you also will be responsible.

 

Class Readings & Discussion Schedule

  Week #1
  (Sep 6/8)

  Introduction to course, requirements and expectations
  Introduction to political philosophy and classical/medieval periods under study

  Week #2
  (Sep 11/13/15) 

  Plato: Republic, Books I-IV (1-115) and VII-X (177-277)

  Week #3 
  (Sep 18/20/22)

  Conclude Plato; begin Aristotle: Politics, Books I-VI (25-256)

  Week #4
  (Sep 25/27/29)

  Conclude Aristotle and classical Greek thought; Quiz #1
  29 – no face-to-face class meeting

  Week #5
  (Oct 2/4/6)

  Cicero: On Government, chapters 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 (13-44; 106-151; 172-220; 335-372)

  Week #6
  (Oct 9/11/13) 

  Conclude Cicero
  Begin Augustine: Selections, chapters I-III & VI (1-183 & 292-342)

  Week #7
  (Oct 16/18/20)

  Conclude Augustine and late Roman & early Christian thought
  (Midterms Week)  Quiz #2

  Week #8
  (Oct 23/25/27) 

  Alfarabi: Selected Aphorisms & Book of Religion (16-44 & 93-113)
  27 – elect to write Thought Paper or take Final Exam

  Week # 9
  (Oct 30/Nov 1/3)

  Conclude Alfarabi; begin Maimonides: Selections from The Guide of the
  Perplexed (41-58, 110-175, 197-202); plus handout of article by Shmuel Shilo

  Week #10
  (Nov 6/8/10)

  Conclude Maimonides and medieval Islamic & Judaic thought
  Quiz #3

Week #11
  (Nov 13/15/17)

  Aquinas: Selections from Summa Theologica (3-195)
  17 – class visitors

Week #12
  (Nov 20/22/24)

  20 – Conclude Aquinas
  22/24 – Thanksgiving Break

Week #13
  (Nov 27/29/Dec 1)

  More: Utopia (3-139)   Quiz #4
  29 – class visitors

Week #14
  (Dec 4/6/8)

  Conclude More and late medieval thought
  Review for Final Exam

Week #15
  (Dec 11)

  Final Exam period (as set by University): 11:00am-1:00pm
  Thought Paper due



Assessment & Grading Scale

  Thought Paper or Final Exam  = 36%

  90 - 100 = A range  (90-94 = A-)

  Quizzes = 28%  (4 x 7% each)

  80 - 89 = B range  (80-83 = B-  /  87-89 = B+)

  Journal submissions  =  24%  (12 x 2% each)

  70 - 79 = C range  (70-73 = C-  /  77-79 = C+)

  Discussion/Participation = 12%

  60 - 69 = D range  (60-63 = D-  /  67-69 = D+)

 

  0 - 59 = F

 

Journal Submissions

Students should begin compiling an electronic journal related to this class. This means that one should be journaling (that is, preparing substantive written entries in some digital format that can be transmitted to the instructor via email) for weeks 2-11 & 13-14, irrespective of whether face-to-face class sessions are scheduled or the student actually attended that week’s session.

 

A substantive entry is ~200 words (minimum, lengthier entries are welcome) summarizing and reacting to some key points from a particular week’s readings and class discussions, perhaps relating to some political economic real world case or event, some recently read piece of academic literature, or simply related ideas provoked by life. These entries can form a series of reflections, so linking entries along the way one to another like an intellectual diary, or can be independent musings week-by-week.

 

To be considered timely, any entry should be received in the instructor’s email inbox (dskubik@calbaptist.edu either as plain text within the body of the email or as a Word attachment) no earlier than the start of the first class of the week and no later than Sunday midnight following the class week for which credit is sought. For example, a journal entry for Week 2—when we meet on MWF, September 11, 13 & 15—is due no earlier than beginning of class on Monday the 11th and no later than midnight Sunday the 17th. Entries for Week 2 that are received before or after those times will be accepted as part of the overall journaling project, but that entry will not be marked and counted towards your final grade.

 

Thought Paper

Create the framework for, and defend your construction of, either (1) an ideal government, based on any territory of your choosing, but citizens are/react as real, ordinary Americans; or, (2) practical socio-political reform of any contemporary government based on current boundaries, with citizens drawn/transported from ordinary people from anywhere in the world. The paper should draw upon our studies and authors, running ~5,000 words (~12-14 pages).

 

One hardcopy version of the paper should be given to the instructor no later than 11:00am the day of the final exam. The paper should also be digitally submitted to Turnitin no later than midnight of that same day. Hardcopy late submissions will not be accepted; -25% penalty will be assessed for late submission to Turnitin through midnight of the subsequent day (Tuesday, Dec 12). No Turnitin submissions will be accepted beyond that time and the paper then will not be marked or used to compute final course grade.

 

Final Exam

In lieu of the Thought Paper, you can elect to take a Final Exam. The exam will be comprehensive, covering all eight (8) of our key authors throughout the semester, requiring three (3) essays in the two-hour time period set by the University. Five essay topics will be set, out of which you will choose three. All topics will require you to compare and contrast two of our authors and their works, so the exam will require you to be conversant with no fewer than four and no more than six of our authors.

You must commit either to write the paper or take the exam no later than Friday, October 27th (end of Week #8). That decision is not subject to change at a later date.

 

Quizzes

There will be four (4) quizzes given throughout the semester, offered in the weeks noted on the syllabus schedule. Each quiz will comprise objective and short answer queries about the two authors then under study. You may elect to replace one (1) quiz with a short paper (~1000-1200 words / 3-4 pages) on one of the two authors. The paper should be done only after consulting with the instructor, arranging for mutually agreeable subject and due date. Quizzes ordinarily cannot be made-up, so you might wish to reserve this option for a quiz you miss during the semester.

 

Discussion/Participation

Although speaking in class, publicly putting and defending a position, can be daunting, you are strongly encouraged to learn to think through your own and others' experiences and insights within the context our discussions. In short, you are encouraged to demonstrate your internalization of our material for application in the real world. In this context, you are not being evaluated for reaching “right” conclusions, but for demonstrating your facility in forming arguments for any conclusions put, given the material we will cover in class.

To give direct incentive to so engage, 12% of your mark for the course will be comprised of assessment for your participation during the semester.

 

Caveat

This syllabus is composed in good faith, with a schedule of readings, assignments and discussions which will guide us throughout the term. Still, the instructors reserve the right to make adjustments to this schedule as deemed necessary for the overall enterprise of the seminar. Any changes will be communicated as far in advance as feasible, and you are responsible for knowing if and when any changes have been made.