Political Science 2237E Study Guide - Fall 2018, Comprehensive Midterm Notes - Aristotle, Plato, Human Nature Band
12 Oct 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Political Science
2237E
MIDTERM EXAM
STUDY GUIDE
Fall 2018
Thursday, September 8, 2016
PoliSci 2237E - Introduction to Political Theory
Introduction
-“The good life”, Eudaimonia - central concept of the course
-Eudaimonia most prominently talked about by Aristotle
-All tests, readings etc. about the good life
-Possibilities of what the good life is: family (relationships), love, support, personal
achievement, personal satisfaction, occupation, education, subsistence (best), money
(as much as you can get), independence, health, education/status, friends, living in a
safe and stable country, significant other, personal stability, sleeping well, privacy,
political participation* (from Aristotle), the opportunity to be moral* (Aristotle), a good
death*, a good afterlife*
-connected idea is “Human Nature”
•are we blank and society imprints on us, or are all people essentially the same, or
are there huge differences between people?
•what is possible for humans and what is impossible
•what are the desirable traits for humans
-connected idea is “political institutions”
•we can measure political institutions with the good life
-ancients identify with warriors, polis, churches etc.
-moderns with the state, sovereignty, fixed borders - state may help to provide what
people need for the good life
-what is the occupation that helps us get the good life that we want/deserve
-difference between ancients and moderns with respect to trades, commerce etc
-ancients are very much against commerce, it is inferior
-with the moderns trades/commerce is respectable
-Agathos - the indispensable person (or group) for the well-being of the unit (Greek
idea), the occupation that is key to the wellbeing
!1
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Thursday, September 8, 2016
-For the Greeks Agathos would be the warrior, modern times maybe its more the
intellects
-Justice - different ways of attainting and different defenders, it is an obsession for
both ancients and moderns
-A good life is a consequence of being just (Plato), it is essential to a good life
-If you fail or do not succeed, you are not just, we get what we deserve - JUST
WORLD THEORY
-
!2
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
The good life , eudaimonia - central concept of the course. Eudaimonia most prominently talked about by aristotle. All tests, readings etc. about the good life. Connected idea is political institutions : we can measure political institutions with the good life. Ancients identify with warriors, polis, churches etc. Moderns with the state, sovereignty, xed borders - state may help to provide what people need for the good life. What is the occupation that helps us get the good life that we want/deserve. Difference between ancients and moderns with respect to trades, commerce etc. Ancients are very much against commerce, it is inferior. Agathos - the indispensable person (or group) for the well-being of the unit (greek idea), the occupation that is key to the wellbeing. For the greeks agathos would be the warrior, modern times maybe its more the. Justice - different ways of attainting and different defenders, it is an obsession for both ancients and moderns.
