1. Why is everybody fighting?
Political Philosophy
Why is everybody fighting?

2. Political Philosophy vs. Political Science
An attempt to answer the question of “what is the best way to organize our society?”
WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH THIS?

3. Political Philosophy vs. Political Science
Began as a reaction to political philosophy
Focused on questions that can be answered using observable data.
Based on scientific method.
Not a “hard” science
Avoids normative or “value” judgments

4. The Entire* History Of Political Philosophy
In about 80 minutes or so…. * Entire may be overstating it just a little bit

5. Ancient Political Philosophy
Ancient does not just refer to the time period but to the central question they attempted to answer. “What is the IDEAL form of government?”

6. Socrates (470-399 B.C.) Considered the “father” of philosophy
His teachings contradicted the Sophists
Used the “Socratic Method”
Questioning others, rather than lecture or essay
Questions are designed to lead to understanding
Using this method he believed that he could prove there was a “universal law”

7. Plato ( B.C.)
Student of Socrates

8. Plato’s Theory Of Duality
Close your eyes and imagine a horse.

9. Theory of Duality The Idea The Form
What you pictured in your mind
That was your “perfect” and “ideal” horse
The Form
What you experience with your senses
The pictures you saw on the next screen
We are able to recognize things because their forms are CLOSE enough to your ideas.
However the IDEA does not exist in reality.

10. It kind of works like this
The Form The Ideal

11. So what is the Ideal Government?

12. Aristotle (384-322) Stated that man was a “political animal.”
By our nature human beings like to organize themselves into larger groups
Set out to classify all of the different types of government

13. Aristotle’s Classification of Government
Good
Bad
One
Monarchy
Tyranny
Ideal
Few
Aristocracy
Oligarchy
Best Possible
Many
Polity
Democracy

14. St. Augustine ( A.D.)
WARNING: THE FOLLOWING VIEWS DO NOT NECCESARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF DON BOSCO TECH, THE SALESIAN SOCIETY, THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, OR ANY GOD FEARING MEMBER OF MODERN SOCIETY. THEY ARE ONLY THE VIEWS OF THE TEACHER AND ARE NOT SHARED BY ANY OFFICIAL INSTITUTION. St. Augustine ruined a lot of things…

15. St. Augustine’s Two Cities
St. Augustine said that there existed two cities… The City of God The City of Man

16. Things that take you away from the City of God
The Two Cities
The City Of Man
Things that take you away from the City of God
Literature
Poetry
Drama
Philosophy
Art
POLITICS!!!!
The City of God
Things that glorify God and bring his grace upon you to prepare you for Heaven…
Bible Study
Church
Discussion of Scripture
Good deeds to others

17. So let’s follow this logically
What time period follows the life of Augustine? The Dark Ages. Why was it called the Dark Ages? Because it lacked Western advancement in learning, science, and arts Did we suddenly not have government? No, we had monarchy. What gave the King the right to rule? God did through the divine right of Kings. So by following Augustine’s practices an absolute form of government is established and to question it is to question God!

18. So there is only one thing to do……
St. Thomas Aquinas ( A.D.) Or why I haven’t been ex-communicated
Aquinas spent many years of study in Muslim controlled lands. There he re-discovered the works of the Ancient Greeks.
Aquinas was intrigued by the idea of using reason to understand natural law
However….
Given Augustine’s position of importance in the Church he couldn’t just completely disagree with him
So there is only one thing to do……

19. The Two Cities (St. Tommy Remix)
The City Of Man
Literature
Poetry
Drama
Philosophy
Art
POLITICS!!!!
The City of God
Bible Study
Church
Discussion of Scripture
Good deeds to others
Although humans can never fully understand God… they could use reason to understand him better. The ultimate goal is to move the City of Man closer to the City of God. In essence to “do on earth as it is in Heaven.

20. Modern Political Philosophy
Modern does not just refer to the time in which they lived but to the fundamental question they tried to answer…. “What is the best possible form of Government we can have given human nature?”

21. Thomas Hobbes ( A.D.)
Began by theorizing about what life would be life without a government. He called this the STATE OF NATURE…. In the State of Nature Man would be 100% free to whatever they wished…. But they would also be 0% secure from outside threats.

22. Hobbes
Therefore Governments were created with the goal of providing SECURITY of an individuals life and property… And the best form of Government to do so was.. AN ABSOLUTE MONARCHY!!!

23. John Locke ( )
John Locke agreed with Hobbes on the idea of the State of Nature… HOWEVER…… He did not think man would give up all of their freedom just for security. He believed men still wanted Liberty as well

24. The Social Contract
According to Locke, Government was a contract between the people and the institution.
And like in all contracts there is an exchange made
Give Up
Receive
Protection of Life, Liberty, and Property
The People
Total Freedom
The Government
Total Control
Support

25. What if the Contract is broken?
If a person breaks the contract, then they don’t receive what they get in return… So they lose protection of.. Property (A Fine) Liberty (Probation or Jail) Life (Texas) But if government (as a whole) breaks the contract, then they also don’t receive what they get in return…. Support. In essence the people are entitled to revolt and replace the government.

26. Immanuel Kant ( )
Kant spent little time on politics, however his philosophy was used to justify future political movements.
Kant’s major contribution was his idea of the Categorical Imperative. A way that should guide how people act in our lives.

27. The Categorical Imperative
“People should act on the basis of universal laws and what is good for all, rather than their own individual needs and desires” Which is funny because this brings us full circle.. HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT IS GOOD FOR ALL?