74786 - Political Philosophy

Learning outcomes

Political Philosophy is conceived as the application of philosophical investigation to politics and thus as a study of the contribution that philosophy may give to political practice. This implies both a clarification of the terms used in our everyday political vocabulary and an attempt at designing models of a just society. The course intends to provide the students with the following abilities: a) notions on methodology in historical investigation; b) ability to analytically read a text while at the same time situating it into the historical and linguistic context of the age; c) knowledge of the perennial tasks of political philosophy;d) knowledge of the historical and ideological origins of democracy.

Course contents

In the academic year 2014/15 the course will be devoted to an examination of the historical and ideological origins of democracy. The first classes will be devoted to a clarification of the notion of 'political philosophy' and to an acoount of methodology in the history of political thought.

Classes will be held in english and will start on 9 February 2015 according to the following timetable:

Monday, 13-15 classroom B, S. Cristina

Tuesday, 11-13 classroom C, S. Cristina

Wednesday, 11-13 classroom 3, Strada Maggiore 45.

Readings/Bibliography

The texts for the exam are the following:

L. Strauss,  The City and Man (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1978.

Herodotus, The Histories, trans. C. Dewald and R. Waterfield (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008); ISBN-10: 0199535663.

Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, trans. P.J. Rhodes and M. Hammond (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009); ISBN-10: 0140440399.

Plato, Protagoras, trans. C.C.W. Taylor (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009); ISBN-10: 0199555656.

Plato, The Republic, trans. C. Rowe (London: Penguin, 2012); ISBN-10: 0141442433 .

Aristotle,  Politics, trans. C. Lord (Chicago: Chicago University Press, 2013; 2nd edition); ISBN-10: 0226921840 .

Foreign students are invited to contact the instructor for help with the choice of texts. They are also welcome to study the Italian texts listed in the Italian version of the programme. 

Teaching methods

30 classes of 2 hours each for a total of 60 hours.

Assessment methods

The final exam will consist in an oral discussion at the end of the course. During this discussion the instructor will evaluate the student's ability to identify the central notions of a text, to examine them critically and to argue consistently. Students who attend the classes may write a paper on a subject agreed with the instructor. The final exam will be in English; however, students who prefer to take it in Italian are allowed to do so.

Office hours

See the website of Giovanni Giorgini