PHL3510 Political Philosophy
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Handbook entry- a brief description of the subject can be found in the handbook entry. The handbook also provides information about the unit leader, the semester and mode in which the unit is available, the contact hours and the assessment requirements.
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MUSO site - there is a WebCT site for this unit where assessment tasks, lecture notes and other unit resources will be posted. Once enrolled, students taking this unit are advised to check the WebCT site regularly.
Subject description:
Towards the end of the Twentieth Century the political philosopher Isaiah Berlin remarked that human history in that century was shaped by two factors above all others. One factor is the explosive development of science and technology. The other is 'the great ideological storms that have altered the lives of virtually all mankind'. At the beginning of the Twenty-First Century it appears that these factors will continue to determine the shape of our world. Political philosophy is concerned with arguments about what form of society is best, and what is wrong with the society we have. These arguments are not simply intellectual disputes. They lie at the root of conflicts between social groups and between entire societies and are thus problems of the most profound practical importance.
Modern political theory in the West has been dominated by liberalism. In the history of political thought the 'modern' period is often seen as beginning with the emergence of liberalism's characteristic ideals: individual freedom, equality and government by consent of the governed. The central question of political philosophy is: What is Justice? How we answer this question is largely determined by the way that we conceive of freedom, equality and legitimacy. What freedoms are we entitled to claim and how do we set the limits of freedom? We demand that the states treat their citizens as equals, but equal with respect to what? What rights should we have and what do we owe to others? This unit examines the contemporary state of the debate on these fundamental questions. It looks at recent formulations of liberalism, and at socialist, feminist and communitarian critiques of the liberal ideal of justice.
What is the value of studying political philosophy?
Whether we like it or not, much of the circumstances of our lives are determined by the outcomes of political conflicts. Competing political forces aim to realise their vision of what the nation should be like: to impose laws, taxes and institutions, to determine the scope of our rights and obligations, to decide who belongs and who does not.
Standardly, when a claim is made that society needs to be changed in some way, it is cast as a claim about justice. We are told either that changes are required to correct injustice, or that justice allows the proposed changes, meaning that power is being exercised legitimately. The claims we make on and for society ultimately rest on a theory of justice. For anyone who wants to develop an intelligent critical perspective on social issues, some grounding in political philosophy is essential.