Course name: Social and Political Philosophy II (PHIL 242-003, PHIL
242-005) = 3 credits
Instructor's name: István
Aranyosi. E-MAIL: aranyosi@bilkent.edu.tr
Click here for short essay topics
Office location: FA 113A
COURSE SCHEDULE and PLACE:
Section 003: Monday
Section 005: Tuesday 10:40 - 11:30 (MA 205); Thursday 10:40 - 12:30 (MA 205)
OFFICE HOURS: Thursday
Course general
webpage with info on the best essay competition: http://www.bilkent.edu.tr/~phileng/
OBJECTIVE: To familiarize students with
the main topics and debates in modern political thought.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
(a) Weekly homework.
(b) Oral presentation.
(c) Short midterm paper (500-700 words) on a topic of the instructor’s choice.
(d) A 1000-1500 word term essay on a
topic of the student's choice (but from the set of topics we will have covered
in the course).
GRADING: Weekly homework - 30%
Oral
presentation - 20%
Short paper
- 20%
Term essay –
30%
TEXTBOOKS:
- Hobbes, Leviathan, edited by C.B. MacPherson, Penguin (1981)
- Bentham and Mill, The Classical Utilitarians, edited by J. Troyer, Hackett (2003)
- Hume, An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals, edited by T.L. Beauchamp, Oxford Philosophical Texts (1998)
- Locke, Second Treatise of Government, edited by C.B. MacPherson, Hackett (1980)
- Rousseau, Political Writings, edited by A. Ritter, translated and edited by J.C. Bondanella, Norton (1987)
Weekly schedule, with
readings and homework:
Week 1: read Hobbes:
part 1, chapters 13 and 14.
Homework:
What are the three causes of quarel in human nature?
Explain the nature of time in the state of war as analogous to the nature of time in whether.
What is the argument (page 188) to the effect that the notions of right and wrong are inapplicable in the state of war?
What is the Fundamental Law of Nature?
What is the second Law of Nature?
What is a contract?
Why a covenant not to defend oneself is void?
Why no man is obliged to accuse himself?
Week 2: Read Hobbes:
part 2, chapters 17, 18, 21.
Homework:
What is the goal of creating a Commonwealth?
What is the only way to erect a Commonwealth? What does it involve?
What are the ways of attaining sovereign power?
How does Hobbes respond (pages 238-239) to the objection that the subjects’ condition is miserable under the absolutist regime?
Why are liberty and fear consistent? Why are liberty and necessity consistent?
Why is the libert of the subject consistent with the unlimited power of the sovereign?
Presentatıons: chapter 18, except pages 238-239.
Sectıon 003: Mehmet Cengiz
Section 005: Elif Cemre Hazıroğlu
Week 3: Read
Locke: chapters II, III, IV, V.
Homework:
What are the two characteristics of the state of nature?
Explain part 13 of chapter II.
What is the definition of a state of war?
What are the differences bewteen the state of nature and the state of war?
What is the reason for moving from the state of nature to political government?
What is the difference between natural liberty and liberty in society?
How is slavery related to the state of war?
Presentatıons: chapter V, Of property
003:
Saadet Ergin
005: Taner Önük
Week 4: Read Locke:
chapters VII, VIII, IX.
Homework:
How does Locke define civil society?
How does the executive and legislative powers emerge in the civil society?
Why is absolute monarchy inconsistent with civil society?
How does Locke respond to the objections (pages 53-54) against his view of how political societies emerge?
What are the three things lacking in the state of nature that make the emergence of political society desirable?
Presentations: chapter VIII, the
beginning of political societies
003: füsun özkanaktı
005:
duygu özge oğuz
Week 5: Read Locke:
chapters XI, XII, XIII, XIV, XV.
Homework:
What are the four constraints on the supreme legislative power?
What is the function of the federative power?
What is the reason the executive should have the power of assembling and dismissing the legislative?
What is the notion of the prerogative on the part of the executive (prince)?
What are the characteristics of despotical power?
Presentations: chapters XI, XII,
XIII , separation of powers
003:
didem adlığ and Selin Çelebi
005:
volkan metli and Güldem Furtun
Week 6: Read
Roussseau: On social contract, book I.
Homework:
1. Explain
Rousseau’s idea expressed in this passage (p. 87): “If there are, therefore,
slaves by nature, it is because there have been slaves against nature”.
2. Why does Rousseau think that the phease “the right of the
strongest” does not make sense?
3. Explain why Rousseau thinks that the phrase “the right to
make slaves” is ultimately contradictory?
4. What is the goal of the social pact (social contract)? (compare with Hobbes).
5. Explain Rousseau’s view on private porperty (land).
Presentations: book I, chapters 6,
7, 8.
003:
olgu temürtürkan
005:
gözde kitapcı
Week 7: : Read
Roussseau: On social contract, II, chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
Homework:
1. Why does Rousseau think that sovereignty is not alienable?
2. Explain chapter 3, paragraph 3.
3. Explain Rousseau's view of the function, rights and qualities of a lawgiver.
Presentations: book II,
chapters 8, 9, 10.
003:
başak özkan
005:
murat naci ekim
Week 8: Read Bentham: Prıncıples, chapters 1, 2, 4, 8.
Homework:
What is utility according to Bedntham?
What is the principle of utility?
What is the community? What is the interest of the community?
What is the principle of ascetism?
What are the rpinciple s of sympathy and antipathy?
How is utility to be measured?
Presentations: , chapter 8.
003:
Tuğçe Nurullahoğlu
005:
mert özkaya
Week 9: Read Mill: Utilitarianism, chapters I, II, III, IV.
Homework:
Presentations: chapter II and Chapter III
003: merve nazlı kaylan
005:
arzu imamoğlu and Baha Tepebaşi
Week 10: Read Mill: On
Liberty, chapter II.
Homework:
Presentations: chapter II,
003:
mustafa altınkaynak and İrem Ertunç
005:
gizem alper and Nil Özgür
Week 11: Read Mill: On
Liberty, chapter III.
Homework:
Presentations: chapter III,
003:
harun karagözoğlu and Ali Emir Bağış
005:
tuğce borucu
Week 12: Read Mill: On
Liberty, chapter IV.
Homework:
Presentations: chapter IV,
003:
yaşar civan şahin and alptuğ güven
005:
gamze efe
Week 13: Read Hume:
chapters 2, 3, 4.
Homework:
Presentations: chapters 3, 4,
003:
deniz tuncer
005:
halime kaya
Week 14: Read Hume:
chapters 5, 6.
Homework:
Presentations: appendices 1, 2, 3,
003: pınar karabey and Sedat Güngör
005:
selin kiraz