PY 105 - Social & Political Philosophy

Credit Hours: 3

A historical survey of major trends in social and political thought from Plato to Dewey. Contrasting views of the following issues will be treated: law and the structure of the state; concepts of justice; its relation to political obligation; social contract theories; political utopias; theories of human nature; and civil disobedience and revolution.

Fulfills SUNY General Education – Humanities.

Course Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

compare and contrast Plato’s and Aristotle’s views on the various possible forms of government;
describe the political philosophy of the ideal political leader according to Machiavelli;
answer the question: What is the source of legitimate governmental authority?;
discuss the importance of Mill’s “harm principle”;
outline Gandhi’s theory of non-violent resistance;
state and explain the role of Rawls’ “original position”; and
state and evaluate Nozick’s critique of Rawls.

Cycles (C, N, S)