POL702 History of Political Ideas

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2009
Extent and Intensity
0/0/0. 8 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Pavel Dufek, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Otto Eibl, Ph.D. (assistant)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Ing. Ondřej Císař, Ph.D.
Division of Politology – Department of Political Science – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Mgr. Lucie Pospíšilová
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
The goal of the course is to introduce students to the most important political philosophers in the history of Western philosophy, and their contributions to political thinking. Reading of selected primary and secondary texts is an integral part of the course. Course participants will be able to grasp and orientate themselves in the most significant issues and debates pertaining to the development of political thought until the beginning of the 20th century. It is necessary that the students follow the program of readings specified in the course syllabus.
Syllabus
  • 1. Pre-platonic political philosophy. Socrates and Plato
  • 2. Aristotle and political philosophy after Aristotle. Political thought of the Roman republic
  • 3. Christian political thought. Augustine of Hippo, Aquinas
  • 4. The dawn of modern times: Nicollo Machiavelli
  • 5. Social Contract Theory: Thomas Hobbes, John Locke
  • 6. French Enlightenment: Montesquieu, Rousseau
  • 7. The Enlightenment and deontological ethics: Immanuel Kant
  • 8. Conservatim: Edmund Burke
  • 9. Analysis of modernity, revolutionary humanism: Karl Marx
  • 10. Modernity and politics in the 20th century: Max Weber
Literature
  • Vybrané spisy (Variant) : Vybrané spisy v pěti svazcích. Svazek 1, (1843-1849) : Vybrané spisy v pěti svazcích. Svazek 2, 1850-1866 : Vybrané spisy v pěti svazcích. Svazek 3, 1867-1875 : Vybrané spisy v pěti svazcích. Svazek 4, 1875-1883 : Vybrané spisy. info
  • PLATÓN. Ústava. Translated by František Novotný. 4., opr. vyd. Praha: OIKOYMENH, 2005, 427 s. ISBN 8072981420. info
  • MACHIAVELLI, Niccolò. Úvahy o vládnutí a o vojenství. Translated by Josef Hajný. Vyd. 1. Praha: Argo, 2001, 343 s. ISBN 8072033913. info
  • WEBER, Max. Metodologie, sociologie a politika. Translated by Miloš Havelka. 1. vyd. Praha: OIKOYMENH, 1998, 354 s. ISBN 80-86005-48-8. info
  • ARISTOTELÉS. Politika. Translated by Antonín Kříž. 2. vyd. Praha: Rezek, 1998, 499 s. ISBN 80-86027-10-4. info
  • BURKE, Edmund. Úvahy o revoluci ve Francii. 1. vyd. Brno: Centrum pro studium demokracie a kultury (CDK), 1997, 278 s. ISBN 80-85959-23-2. 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
  • ROUSSEAU, Jean-Jacques. Rozpravy. Edited by Vladimír Čechák, Translated by Eva Blažková - Jindřich Veselý -. 2. rozš. vyd. Praha: Svoboda, 1989, 292 s. ISBN 8020500642. info
  • SABINE, George Holland. A history of political theory. 3. ed. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1961, xii, 948. ISBN 0030107407. info
  • AUGUSTIN. O Boží obci knih XXII. Translated by Julie Nováková. 1. vyd. Praha: Vyšehrad, 1950, 736 s. info
Assessment methods
With regard to the character of combined form of study, the course focuses on self-study. Therefore, students are required to follow the timetable of topics and assigned readings, as stated in the course syllabus. There will be two consultation meetings during the term, where difficult or problematic issues will be discussed and cleared up. The following are course requirements:
(1) Seminar essay (length: 8-10 pages; for additional instructions see the course syllabus available in Study Materials)
(2) Final written test
The overall assesment (A though F) reflects the total point score achieved in these two activities. For the final test, students are expected to know both the assigned readings and the topics discussed at the consultation meetings.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: in blocks.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 1999, Autumn 2000, Autumn 2001, Autumn 2002, Autumn 2003, Autumn 2004, Autumn 2006, Autumn 2007, Autumn 2008, Autumn 2010, Autumn 2011, Autumn 2012.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2009, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/autumn2009/POL702