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CoursePLSC 11424 lectures

Introduction to Political Philosophy

Steven B. Smith · Yale University

Start with lecture 1 At Open Yale Courses

About

This course is intended as an introduction to political philosophy as seen through an examination of some of the major texts and thinkers of the Western political tradition. Three broad themes that are central to understanding political life are focused upon: the polis experience (Plato, Aristotle), the sovereign state (Machiavelli, Hobbes), constitutional government (Locke), and democracy (Rousseau, Tocqueville). The way in which different political philosophies have given expression to various forms of political institutions and our ways of life are examined throughout the course.

Lectures

  1. Introduction: What Is Political Philosophy? Lecture 1 · Audio
  2. Socratic Citizenship: Plato, Apology Lecture 2 · Audio
  3. Socratic Citizenship: Plato, Crito Lecture 3 · Audio
  4. Philosophers and Kings: Plato, Republic, I-II Lecture 4 · Audio
  5. Philosophers and Kings: Plato, Republic, III-IV Lecture 5 · Audio
  6. Philosophers and Kings: Plato, Republic, V Lecture 6 · Audio
  7. The Mixed Regime and the Rule of Law: Aristotle, Politics, I, III Lecture 7 · Audio
  8. The Mixed Regime and the Rule of Law: Aristotle, Politics, IV Lecture 8 · Audio
  9. The Mixed Regime and the Rule of Law: Aristotle, Politics, VII Lecture 9 · Audio
  10. New Modes and Orders: Machiavelli, The Prince (chaps. 1-12) Lecture 10 · Audio
  11. New Modes and Orders: Machiavelli, The Prince (chaps. 13-26) Lecture 11 · Audio
  12. The Sovereign State: Hobbes, Leviathan Lecture 12 · Audio
  13. The Sovereign State: Hobbes, Leviathan Lecture 13 · Audio
  14. The Sovereign State: Hobbes, Leviathan Lecture 14 · Audio
  15. Constitutional Government: Locke, Second Treatise (1-5) Lecture 15 · Audio
  16. Constitutional Government: Locke, Second Treatise (7-12) Lecture 16 · Audio
  17. Constitutional Government: Locke, Second Treatise (13-19) Lecture 17 · Audio
  18. Democracy and Participation: Rousseau, Discourse on Inequality (Author's Preface, Part I) Lecture 18 · Audio
  19. Democracy and Participation: Rousseau, Discourse on Inequality (Part II) Lecture 19 · Audio
  20. Democracy and Participation: Rousseau, Social Contract, I-II Lecture 20 · Audio
  21. Democratic Statecraft: Tocqueville, Democracy in America Lecture 21 · Audio
  22. Democratic Statecraft: Tocqueville, Democracy in America Lecture 22 · Audio
  23. Democratic Statecraft: Tocqueville, Democracy in America Lecture 23 · Audio
  24. In Defense of Politics Lecture 24 · Audio

Syllabus and materials

At Open Yale Courses, as the course publishes them.

Credits and licence

Institution
Yale University
Department
Political Science
Teacher
Steven B. Smith
Term
Fall 2006
Level
Undergraduate
Language
English
Subjects
Society and politics
Source
Open Yale Courses
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US, as Open Yale Courses states it. Non-commercial use only. Open Yale Courses's terms
Attribution
Open Yale Courses, Yale University. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 licence; third-party material in the lectures is not.
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