Political Philosophy

1. Political Philosophy Lit. Deicisions Mr. Kott

2. Agenda… • Political Quotes… • What is Political Philosophy? • BRIEF History of Politics Medieval-Current • Current Political Philosophies • U.S. Political Philosophy

3. What is Political Philosophy? • The study of questions about the city, government, politics, liberty, justice, property, rights, laws, and enforcement of a legal code by authority. • Three Central Concerns: • Political Economy • Demands of Justice in Distribution of Punishment • Rules of truth and evidence that determine the judgement in law.

4. Medieval Period • Divine Right of Kings • Christianity

5. Renaissance Period • A shift occurs… Humanism:A displacement of the “other worldly” values of the middle ages in favor of a belief in the potential of humanity in this world.

6. A more radical look at the individual 2 Basic Questions: By what right or need do people form states? What is the best form of government? Government= a specific group of people who occupied, and indeed still occupy the institutions of the state, and create the laws and ordinances by which the people, themselves included, would be bound State= a set of enduring institutions through which power would be distributed and its use justified European Age of Enlightenment

7. Urbanization & Capitalism Socialism Totalitarianism Industrialization & Modern Era

8. Liberalism: The idea that there is a plurality of intrinsic good but not one right combination of them, thus making the maximization imperative to the maximization of human happiness. Conservatism: The idea that a strong hirarchy is needed to maintain order; that equalizing measures often cause disorder.[ Libertarianism: A belief in absolute property rights and absolute freedom of contract. Some Contemporary Philosophies on the field of play…

9. What do you think? Let’s take a look… America’s Political Philosophy