POL478 Classical British Political Philosophy

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2014
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Pavel Dufek, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. Mgr. Tomáš Kačer, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Pavel Dufek, Ph.D.
Division of Politology – Department of Political Science – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Mgr. Iva Petříková
Supplier department: Division of Politology – Department of Political Science – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Wed 18:45–20:15 U41
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of the history of political thought and/or history of philosopy, passive knowledge of English.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
This course focuses on reading primary texts in the field of political philosophy. Students will acquire knowledge of essential texts of British political thinkers, and also of associated secondary materials, dealing with the context of their time period and their relevance for the present days. Course participants will learn how to critically engage with both primary sources and their competing (often imprecise and/or superficial) intepretations. Based on acquired knowledge, students will be able to analyse and discuss more clearly an knowledgeably a number of issues still relevant to political philosophy and political action. The course will focus on the most important authors from the period between the seventeenth and the nineteenth cetury.
Syllabus
  • For detailed information including required readings see "Interactive syllabus" in the Information system.
  • 1. Introduction: Course mission and organization
  • 2. Introduction to British empiricism. Rationalism v. empiricism.
  • 3. Ideal state. Utopia (T. More, F. Bacon)
  • 4. Defense of religious and civil liberties (J. Milton)
  • 5. Ideal state. Social contract (T. Hobbes)
  • 6. Freedom. Tolerance (J. Locke)
  • 7. Freedom. Liberalism (J. Locke)
  • 8. Reading week
  • 9. Critique of contractarianism. Origins of conservatism (D. Hume)
  • 10. Liberal political economy (A. Smith)
  • 11. Utilitarianism. Social engineering (J. Bentham)
  • 12. Liberty. Representative government (J.S. Mill)
  • 13. Course evaluation
Literature
  • SMITH, Adam. Pojednání o podstatě a původu bohatství národů. Translated by Vladimír Irgl. Nové, přeprac. vyd. opatř. Praha: Liberální institut, 2001, 986 s. ISBN 8086389162. info
  • MILTON, John. Areopagitica and other political writings of John Milton. Edited by John Alvis. Indianapolis: Liberty fund, 1999, xix, 463. ISBN 0865971978. info
  • LOCKE, John. Druhé pojednání o vládě. Edited by Oskar Krejčí, Translated by Josef Král. Vyd. 2. Praha: Svoboda, 1992, 184 s. ISBN 802050222X. info
  • MILL, John Stuart. On Liberty and Other Essays. Oxford: University Press, 1991, 592 s. ISBN 0-19-282208-X. info
  • BACON, Francis. Nová Atlantida a Eseje : Eseje (Přít.). Translated by Alois Bejblík. 3. vyd., v MF 1. Praha: Mladá fronta, 1980, 107 s. info
  • MORE, Thomas. Utopie. Edited by Jan Halada - Petr Křivský, Translated by Bohumil Ryba. Vyd. 2. Praha: Mladá fronta, 1978, 156 s. info
  • HOBBES, Thomas. Leviathan, neboli, O podstatě, zřízení a moci státu církevního a občanského. Translated by Jan Mertl - Josef Hrůša. V Praze: Melantrich, 1941, 375 s. URL info
Teaching methods
The course consists of a series of semninars dealing with the respective authors/topics. Students are therefore required to participate in seminars, and their activity is an essential precondition for sucessful completion of the course. Students' position papers based on asigned readings are discussed in the seminars.
Assessment methods
The course is evaluated throughout the term. In sum, the requirements are:
(1) Position papers. Students are required to submit at least six shorter papers, which will serve as a basis for in-class discussion. All position papers should have a standard structure, consisting of a) summary of the main arguments; b) the student's reaction pointing to the strongest and weakest parts of the text; and (c) questions for the seminar discussion. Each position paper will receive 0-3 points, based on its quality and insightfulness
(2) Active participation in discussions (0-2 points each time)
(3) Presentation (0-10 points). During the term, each student will have an opportunity to outline the content of both the compulsory and recommended readings for the rest of the class.
Final written test (0-10 points). The test, in the form of a shorter essay on a topic selected from a list of topics, is optional. Students who have reached the minimal threshold (30 points) are not required to take the test.
The overall assesment will be determined by the total poiont score from these three activities (50-46 A; 45-42b B; 41-38 C; 37-34 D; 33-30 E; 29 nd less F)
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2006, Spring 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Spring 2010, Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Spring 2016.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2014, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2014/POL478