Political Philosophy
Code: 100284 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2500246 Philosophy | OB | 2 | 2 |
Contact
- Name:
- Mercè Rius
- Email:
- Merce.Rius@uab.cat
Use of Languages
- Principal working language:
- catalan (cat)
- Some groups entirely in English:
- No
- Some groups entirely in Catalan:
- Yes
- Some groups entirely in Spanish:
- No
Teachers
- Mercè Rius
Prerequisites
No prerequisite.
Objectives and Contextualisation
1. It will be about knowing the evolution of European political institutions from the perspective of philosophy.
2. Therefore, although the course will focus on conceptual analysis, it will be carried out in a historical order.
3. However, the historical approach will be carried out from the present, that is, based on the issues and problems that currently arise in political philosophy.
4. In addition, the political theme has always been closely related to other "areas" of philosophy: ethics above all, but also epistemology or even ontology. Then you will have to know how to move in those other areas according to the author considered.
5. It is intended that the student learns to guide their study with full awareness of these interrelationships.
Competences
- Analysing and summarising the main arguments of fundamental texts of philosophy in its various disciplines.
- Recognising and interpreting topics and problems of philosophy in its various disciplines.
- Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
- Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
- Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
Learning Outcomes
- Accurately drawing up normative texts.
- Accurately using the specific lexicon of the history of philosophy.
- Autonomously searching, selecting and processing information both from structured sources (databases, bibliographies, specialized magazines) and from across the network.
- Correctly, accurately and clearly communicating the acquired philosophical knowledge in oral and written form.
- Effectively communicating and applying the argumentative and textual processes to formal and scientific texts.
- Establishing relationships between science, philosophy, art, religion, politics, etc.
- Expressing both orally and in written form, the issues and basic problems of the philosophical tradition.
- Indicating and summarising the common content of several manifestations of various fields of culture.
- Relating the characteristic elements and factors of the philosophical tradition.
- Summarising the topics and arguments exposed in a classical philosophical debate.
- Using suitable terminology when drawing up an academic text.
Content
Introduction
1. The ancient community I. Greece.
a) The identity of ethics and politics.
b) Plato against the sophists: the art of the politician.
c) Aristotle: politics as a way of life.
2. The ancient community II. Rome.
a) Cicero: republicanism and ius humanum.
b) Augustine of Hippo: all power comes from God.
3. The reason of State.
a) The political modernity of Machiavelli.
b) Jean Bodin: the concept of sovereignty.
4. Theories of the social pact.
a) Hobbes: the absolutism of state power.
b) Locke: natural rights and liberalism.
c) Rousseau: the collective political subject.
Methodology
During the face-to-face sessions, the teacher will present the subjects of the program with special emphasis on the main concepts, which will be framed in the appropriate argumentation. Thus, this exhibition will also offer guidelines for reading texts.
In case of suspension of face-to-face teaching, said activity will be carried out by the computer means that the UAB makes available to us.
The reading of the book that will be the object of the second test must be done in the editions recommended by the teacher, unless the student requests and obtains their explicit authorization to use another edition. See Evaluation/Assessment and Bibliography.
Activities
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Master class | 35 | 1.4 | 8, 6, 9, 2 |
| Text reading orientation | 10 | 0.4 | 3, 6, 9, 10 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Tutorials | 20 | 0.8 | 3, 4 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Reading the recommended bibliography | 50 | 2 | 9 |
| Study and preparation of works | 27.5 | 1.1 | 3, 1, 6, 7, 5, 11, 9, 2 |
Assessment
Assessment criteria
First test:
It will consist of a written exam during the class time slot. The evaluable subject will cover topics 1 and 2 of the program (The ancient community I-II).
Second test:
It must be delivered in writing, having been prepared at home. It will try to prove the reading of the Second Treatise on Civil Government, by John Locke. In February, the instructions and rules for carrying out the test will be specified in Moodle, which will only be accepted and evaluated if it meets them.
As noted in Methodologyand Bibliography, the reading of this book must be done in the recommended editions; without exception, unless the student requests and obtains the explicit authorization of the teacher to use another edition. Otherwise, the test will not be accepted.
Third test:
It will consist of a written exam during the class time slot. The evaluable subject will cover topics 3 and 4 of the program (topic 3: The reason of State; topic 4: Theories of the social pact).
The final grade is calculated as follows:
The first test and the third test, each one of them, 40% of the final grade.
The second test, 20% of the final grade.
The course will be considered passed if the average of the three tests is equal to or greater than 5.
The course will be considered non-evaluable if the student is absent from more than one of the three tests; or just one, but without having communicated the presumed reasons to the teacher, as well as the intention of submitting to the reassessment exam (always sub conditione, within the normative limits). Such communication must be immediate: within a period of seven (calendar) days from the date on which the test to which the student did not attend was held.
Test dates
During the first week of class of the subject, information regarding the evaluation dates will be published in Moodle.
In the event of a student committing any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade awarded to an assessment activity, the student will be given a zero for this activity, regardless of any disciplinary process that may take place. In the event of several irregularities in assessment activities of the same subject, the student will be given a zero as the final grade for this subject.
Conditions for final reassessment:
In order to access the final recovery, the assessment of the three tests must have been carried out. In the event that, due to any incident (see Organizational Rules), the student has not done one of the three tests, they can only do it at the end of course if they already have the assessment of the other two and the average mark is not less than 3.5.
The recovery of the tests will be joint and will be done on the day and time set by Academic Management.
Evidence review:
The revision date of each test will be indicated in due course through Moodle. The personalized review will take place in the teacher's office. Or by email in the case of suspension of face-to-face teaching.
Organizational rules:
If the student (1) does not deliver the test prepared at home at the established place, date and time, (2) if he does not appear at one of the tests carried out in the classroom or (3) arrives late, that is, when the questions have been distributed and the corresponding instructions have been given, in which case, you will have lost the call, and you can only recover it as part of the final reassessment if you satisfy the conditions indicated in the previous section (Conditions for final reassessment). An exception will be made if youallege good cause with the relevant documentation: (a) enabling another day for the test if it has not been presented, or (b) allowing it to be carried out even if it has been late.
Whoever leaves the exam room will not be able to enter again (except for a major cause).
Regarding the test prepared at home, the student must deliver it - personally - on the stipulated day and in class time. Any incident in this regard, including the possibility of being delivered by another person if the student cannot, for just cause, must notify the teacher in advance; if this is not possible, the student should contact, at the latest, in the next session of the subject.
Regarding the possibility of sending works by email, it will only be effective if the teacher so provides at the time. Otherwise, they will be dismissed. Likewise, those that the student has put in the mailbox of the Secretariat will be rejected, unless the professor's agreement has been previously obtained. Of course, in the event that tests or exams cannot be taken onsite, this rule would be invalidated.
In the event that tests or exams cannot be taken onsite, they will be adapted to an online format made available through the UAB’s virtual tools (original weighting will be maintained). Homework, activities and class participation will be carried out through forums, wikis and/or discussion on Teams, etc. Lecturers will ensure that students are able to access these virtual tools, or will offer them feasible alternatives.
Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First test: exam | 40% of the final grade | 2.5 | 0.1 | 3, 4, 1, 7, 5, 11, 9, 10, 2 |
| Second test: accreditation of reading | 20% of the final grade | 2.5 | 0.1 | 8, 3, 4, 1, 6, 7, 5, 11, 9, 10, 2 |
| Third test: exam | 40% of the final grade | 2.5 | 0.1 | 3, 4, 1, 7, 5, 11, 9, 10, 2 |
Bibliography
General Bibliography
Hampsher-Monk, Iain, Historia del pensamiento político moderno, Ariel, Barcelona.
Held, David, Modelos de democracia, Alianza, Madrid.
Raynaud, Philippe/Rials, Stéphane, Diccionario Akal de Filosofía Política, Akal, Madrid.
Sabine, George H., Historia de la teoría política, Fondo Cultura Económica (FCE), México/Madrid.
Touchard, Jean, Historia de las ideas políticas, Tecnos, Madrid.
Vallespín, Fernando (recop.), Historia de la teoría política, Alianza.
Bibliography by subject
1. The ancient community I. Greece.
Plató, Protàgores, Eutifró (et alt.), Laia/Edic. 62, col·lecció Textos Filosòfics (TF), Barcelona.
, Gòrgias, Bernat Metge, Barcelona
, República, Bernat Metge.
, El polític, Bernat Metge [El político, Gredos, Madrid].
, Les lleis, Bernat Metge [Las leyes, Alianza].
, Carta VII, a Cartes, Bernat Metge,
Aristòtil, Política, La Magrana – RBA, Barcelona.
Aristóteles, Política, Centro de Estudios Constitucionales (CEC), Madrid.
– , Política, Gredos.
– , Constitució d’Atenes, BernatMetge.
Bowra, Cecil Maurice, La Atenas de Pericles, Alianza.
Tucídides, Discurso fúnebre de Pericles, Sequitur, Madrid.
Constant, Benjamin, Sobre el espíritu de conquista. Sobre la libertad en los antiguos y en los modernos, Tecnos.
Weil, Simone, La fuente griega, Trotta, Madrid.
Arendt, Hannah, La condició humana, Empúries, Barcelona [cap. IV, ap. 21].
Cacciari, Massimo, Geo-filosofía de Europa, Aldebarán, Madrid.
2. The ancient community II. Rome.
Ciceró, Marc Tul·li, Les lleis, Alpha, Barcelona [Las leyes, Gredos /Tecnos].
Cicerón, La República, Alianza / Tecnos [Sobre la República. Sobre las leyes].
– , Dels deures, Bernat Metge [Sobre los deberes, Alianza / Tecnos; Los deberes, Gredos].
Cicerón, Quinto Tulio, Breviario de campaña electoral, Quaderns Crema, Barcelona.
Agustín de Hipona, La Ciudad de Dios, a Obras, v. XVI-XVII, Biblioteca Autores Cristianos (BAC), Madrid.
– , Sobre la mentira, v. XII, BAC.
Tomás de Aquino, La monarquía, Tecnos.
Tomás de Aquino y Pedro de Alvernia, Comentario a la Política de Aristóteles, Ediciones de la Universidad de Navarra (EUNSA), Pamplona.
Dante, Monarquía, Tecnos.
Marsilio de Padua, El defensor de la paz, Tecnos.
Ockham, Guillem d’, Breviloqui sobre el principat tirànic, TF.
Agamben, Giorgio, Opus Dei. Arqueología del oficio, Pre-Textos, València – Adriana Hidalgo, Buenos Aires.
– , Homo sacer, Pre-Textos.
3. The reason of State.
Eiximenis, Francesc, Regiment de la cosa pública, Bromera, València.
More, Thomas, Utopia, Accent, Girona.
Campanella, Tommaso, La Ciutat del Sol, seguida de Qüestió quarta sobre la millor república, Publicacions de la Universitat de València (PUV).
More, T. – Campanella, T. – Bacon, Francis, Utopías del Renacimiento (Utopía, La imaginaria Ciudad del Sol, Nueva Atlántida), FCE.
Maquiavel, El príncep, TF.
– , Discursos sobre la primera década de Tito Livio, Alianza.
– , El arte de la guerra, Tecnos.
– , Escritos políticos breves, Tecnos.
– , La mandrágora, Tecnos.
Lutero, Martin, Escritos políticos, Tecnos.
Vitoria, Francisco de, La ley, Tecnos.
Boétie, Étienne de La, La servitud voluntària, Quaderns Crema.
Bodino (Bodinus), Juan, Los seis libros de la República (edición abreviada), Tecnos.
Altusio(Althusius), Juan, Política, CEC.
Grocio (Grotius), Hugo, Del derecho de la guerra y de la paz, CEC.
Fustel de Coulanges, Numa Denis, La ciudad antigua, Península – Edhasa – Iberia.
Arquillière, Henri Xavier, El agustinismo político, Edicions de les Universitats de Granada i València.
Ullmann, Walter, Principios de gobierno y política en la Edad Media, Alianza.
Kantorowicz, Ernst Hartwig, Los dos cuerpos del rey: un estudio de teología política medieval, Alianza – Akal.
Burckhardt, Jacob, La cultura del Renacimiento en Italia, Edaf, Madrid.
Lefort, Claude, Maquiavelo. Lecturas de lo político, Trotta.
[Se encontrará una bibliografía detallada sobre Maquiavelo y Bodino en el volumen 2 de la Historia de la teoría política, editada por F. Vallespín (véase más arriba).]
Guardini, Romano, El espíritu de la liturgia, Centre Pastoral Litúrgica, Barcelona.
Schmitt, Carl, Catolicismo y forma política, Tecnos.
– , La dictadura, Alianza.
Strauss, Leo, Derecho natural e historia, Círculo de Lectores, Barcelona.
Tönnies, Ferdinand, Comunitat i associació, Edicions 62.
Weber, Max, L’ètica protestant i l’esperit del capitalisme, Edicions 62.
El político y el científico, Alianza.
4. Theoriesof the social pact.
Hobbes, Thomas, Leviathan, Alianza.
– , El ciudadano, Tecnos – Trotta.
– , Behemoth, Tecnos – CEC.
– , Elementos de derecho natural y político, CEC.
Spinoza, Baruch, Tratado teológico-político, Alianza.
Locke, John, Two Treatises of Government [Primero y Segundo Tratado], Cambridge University Press.
– , Segundo Tratado sobre el Gobierno Civil, Alianza.
– , Ensayo sobre el entendimiento humano (compendio). Segundo tratado sobre el gobierno. Escritos sobre la tolerancia, Gredos/RBA.
– , Carta sobre la tolerància, Tecnos.
– , La polémica Filmer-Locke sobre la obediencia política [contiene el Primer Tractado de Locke i El patriarca, de R. Filmer], Instituto de Estudios Políticos – CEC.
– , Assaig sobre el govern civil. Carta sobre la tolerància, TF.
Montesquieu, De l’esperit de les lleis (2 volums), Edicions 62-Diputació de Barcelona [Véase esp. el libro XI, en el primer volumen].
– , Cartes perses, TF. – Edicions de 1984, Barcelona.
Bayle, Pierre, Comentario filosófico sobre las palabras de Jesucristo “Oblígales a entrar”, CEC.
Voltaire, Tractat sobre la tolerància i altres escrits, Edicions 62/Diputació de Barcelona.
Rousseau, Jean-Jacques, Du contrat social, Flammarion – Gallimard, Paris.
– , Del contracte social, TF.
, El contrato social, Alianza – Biblioteca Nueva – Espasa Calpe.
– , Discurs sobre l’origen i els fonaments de la desigualtat entre els homes, TF.
– , Proyecto de Constitución para Córcega. Consideraciones sobre el gobierno de Polonia y su proyecto de reforma, Tecnos.
– , Escritos sobre la paz y la guerra, CEC.
– , Escritos políticos, Trotta.
– , Discursos sobre la economía política, Tecnos.
– , Emili o de l’educació, Eumo, Vic.
– , Els somieigs del passejant solitari, Proa, Barcelona.
Sieyès, Emmanuel-Joseph, ¿Qué es el Tercer Estado?, Alianza.
About Hobbes
Oakeshott, Michael, El Estado europeo moderno, Paidós/ICE-UAB.
Bobbio, Norberto, Thomas Hobbes, FCE.
Monserrat, Josep, Thomas Hobbes: La fundació del l’Estat Modern, Gedisa, Barcelona.
Schmitt, C., El Leviathan en la teoría del Estado de Thomas Hobbes, Comares, Granada.
Strauss, L., La filosofía política de Hobbes, FCE.
Tönnies, f., Hobbes: vida y doctrina, Alianza.
Zarka, Yves-Charles, Hobbes y el pensamiento político moderno, Herder, Barcelona.
About Locke
Ashcraft, Richard, Locke’s Two Treatises of Government, Unwin Hyman, London.
Bobbio, Norberto, Locke e il diritto naturale, G. Giappichelli, Torino [Locke y el derecho natural Tirant lo Blanch, València, electrónico y en papel.]
Dunn, John, Locke. A Very ShortIntroduction, Oxford University Press.
– , The Political Thought of John Locke, Cambridge University Press.
Grant, Ruth W., John Locke’s liberalism, Chicago Universiy Press.
Iversen Vaugh, Karen, John Locke: economista y sociólogo, F.C.E.
Macpherson, C.B. (Crawford Brough), La teoría política del individualismo posesivo: de Hobbes a Locke, Trotta.
About Rousseau (and Montesquieu)
Althusser, Louis, Montesquieu: la política y la historia, Ariel.
Aron, Raymond, Las etapas del pensamiento sociológico, Herder.
Durkheim, Émile, Montesquieu y Rousseau: precursores de la sociología, Tecnos.
Iglesias, Mª Carmen, El pensamiento de Montesquieu: política y ciencia natural, Alianza.
Cassirer, Ernst, The Question of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Columbia Univ. Press, New York.
Grimsley, Ronald, La filosofía de Rousseau, Alianza.
Masters, Roger Davis, The Political Philosophy of Rousseau, Princeton University Press, New Jersey.
Rubio Carracedo, José, ¿Democracia o representación? Poder y legitimidad en Rousseau, CEC.
Burke, Edmund, Reflexiones sobre la revolución en Francia, Alianza.
[About l’Abbé de Saint-Pierre, Bernardin: monograph on Revue d’Histoire Littéraire de La France, nº 5, set./oct. 1989: Armand Collin, Paris.]
Mill, John Stuart, Del gobierno representativo, Tecnos.
Tocqueville, Alexis de, L’Antic Règim i la Revolució, Edicions 62 – Diputació de Barcelona.
– , La democracia en América, Alianza.
Domènech, Antoni, El eclipse de la fraternidad, Crítica, Barcelona.
The recommended editions of the reading of Locke's Second Treatise are those indicated in this bibliography (in English or Spanish). Any other option must necessarily be consulted by the teacher, and have obtained their explicit agreement so that the tests derived from the reading are evaluable.