Political Essay
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PaperReviewMay13and181.pptxPaper Review
1. How is the universe structured? What is the ultimate nature of reality, and what makes things happen within it? (Metaphysics)
2. a) How do we gain knowledge of the world around us?
b) Who has access to such knowledge?
3. How do we understand human nature?
4. What is political order, and how do we impose such order on the world?
5. What is the task/goal/purpose of politics?
What is the best way to achieve this goal?
What is the ideal regime?
1
How is the universe structured? What is the ultimate nature of reality, and what makes things happen within it? (Metaphysics)
Ancients
Essences, forms, ideals; thing striving toward excellence/potential ie. teleology
Machiavelli
Fluid, impermanent, unpredictable; Fortuna
Hobbes
Materialism; matter in motion
BUT…
Also keeps mentioning God as first cause/foundation of the world
Locke
Materialist like Hobbes (remember, Locke is also deeply influenced by the Scientific Revolution);
BUT…
Also keeps mentioning God’s laws
Remember Machiavelli’s and Hobbes’ criticisms of the ancient understanding of the universe?
2
a) How do we gain knowledge of the world around us? b) Who has access to such knowledge?
a) Ancients
Contemplation (for Plato); combined with some action (for Aristotle)
b) Requires rare ability (for Plato); leisure/opportunity (for Aristotle)
a) Moderns
Machiavelli
Induction, scientific method
Hobbes
Senses, plus reason, plus induction
Locke
Same as Hobbes, but has a slightly different conception of reason (we all have an innate understanding of God’s laws)
b) The fundamental different between ancients and moderns
Knowledge is in theory available to all
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3. How do we understand human nature?
Ancients
Right ordering of soul, better and worse ways of striving toward excellence (some will get there, and some won’t)
Machiavelli
Evil, fickle, deceptive
Hobbes
Selfish, prone to conflict, acquisitive
Locke
Fundamentally good, prone to understanding God’s laws because of God-given reason, but there are always a few exceptions
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4. What is political order, and how do we impose such order on the world?
Ancients
Knowledge of this order is given to us (forms/ideals), we impose it on the world by striving toward forms, ideals, excellence (once again, teleology)
ALL Moderns
Humans create and impose order on the political world, political order is a construct of human intelligence, does not conform to any patterns given to us by teleology/ morality/theology
5. What is the task/goal/purpose of politics?
Ancients
Pursuit of excellence, conforming to given ideals/forms (once again, teleology)
ALL Moderns
Security, stability, peace; NO more teleology
Additionally, Hobbes and Locke are concerned with protecting individuals’ interests, especially property!
5
What is the best way to achieve this goal?
Ancients
soulcraft
Machiavelli
statecraft
Hobbes/Locke
social contract, mutual satisfaction of interests
6
7. What is the ideal regime?
Ancients
philosopher-kings (Plato); those with leisure to engage in debate and self-development (Aristotle)
Machiavelli
the prince (self-made)
Hobbes
absolute sovereign
Locke
limited constitutional government
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