The undergraduate program offers a range of courses including american government, comparative government, international relations, analytical political theory, and. Though they make the most sense in sequence, feel free to read and watch them in whatever order most interests you. Past editorsinchief include kagan, fareed zakaria and gideon rose. It is designed to foster informed debate about public policy in the light of disciplined reflection on the fundamentals of human association. Political philosophy the open yale courses series 9780300181807 by smith, steven b. The aim of the project is to expand access to educational materials for all who wish to learn. Only afterwards do we reflect upon what we do and how. Works by the greatest thinkers illuminate the permanent problems of political life, smith shows, and while we may not accept all their conclusions, it would be a mistake to overlook the. His previous books include the prizewinning spinoza, liberalism, and the question of jewish identity and spinozas book of life, both published by yale university press.
Yale political philosophy yale university department of. This was the answer of thomas hobbes, who imagined a world without any political authority, and called it the state of nature. Please note that we have recently removed craig wrights, introduction to classical music, and ian shapiros, moral foundations of political philosophy, from this site. Below, youll find a short introductory essay and a series of lectures. The yale philosophy department offers a wide range of courses in various traditions of philosophy, with strengths and a wellestablished reputation in the history of philosophy, ethics, metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of art as well as other central topics. When you are going through the philosophy videos we have listed, you will gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter. We also have affiliated faculty members in the law school, the classics department. Introduction to political philosophy with steven b. Professor kagan, who received his phd from ohio state university in 1958, has written the great dialogue. See also bruce ackerman, social justice and the liberal state new haven. Rawls, lectures on the history of political philosophy, ed. In his republic lectures, for instance, he spends a good chunk of the time discussing the metaphors and characters.
We first act to meet special needs and particular occasions. The quarterly magazine traces its roots to 1947, when the yale political journal. The oldest of the social sciences, the study of political philosophy must. These lectures will provide added clarity to the tensions between his book a theory of justice and his justice as fairness. Introduction to political philosophy free video lectures. The talk centers on the apology as a symbol for violated free expression, with socrates justifying the role of the thinking life and its use in political life. The oldest of the social sciences, the study of political philosophy must begin with the works of plato and aristotle, and examine in depth the fundamental concepts and categories of the study of politics. Introduction to political philosophy open yale courses. Smith, a political science professor at yale university since 1984, has made available a 24lecture course, introduction to political philosophy, which covers plato, aristotle, machiavelli, hobbes, locke, rousseau, and tocqueville his approach is highly literary.
The lectures are available as downloadable videos, and an audioonly version is also offered. In addition, searchable transcripts of each lecture are provided. Political philosophy deals with a wide variety of questions we face as human beings reflecting on the nature and values of political society. Yales philosophy of teaching and learning begins with the aim of training a.
Based in new haven, connecticut, yale brings people and ideas together for positive impact around the globe. A research university that focuses on students and encourages learning as an essential way of life, yale is a place for connection, creativity, and. To get more information on the course, including the syllabus, visit this yale website. Breathing, eating, digesting, seeing and hearing long preceded anatomy and physiology. The three main topics of the course are introducedhappiness and flourishing, morality, and political philosophy and examples of some of the courses future topics are discussed. About the courseyale open courses this course is intended. The daytoday events are the waves that are recorded by journalism. Lectures on the history of political philosophy john rawls. Introduction to political philosophy with professor steven b. Ancient philosophy at yale yale department of classics. The politic was revived in 1979 as the yale political monthly by future political commentator and historian robert kagan. Course materials are available here course description. The lectures on the history of political philosophy are, more specifically, a history of modern contractual political philosophy. Political science political philosophy as seen through an examination of some of the major texts and thinkers of the western political tradition.
The politic yale university publications yale university. Political philosophy as an overview of political philosophy from ancient greece through the enlightenment with an inclusion of tocquevilles democracy in america. Smith introduces the wide terrain of political philosophy through the classic texts of the discipline. Open yale courses provides free and open access to a selection of introductory courses taught by distinguished teachers and scholars at yale university. All lectures were recorded in the yale college classroom and are available in video, audio, and text transcript formats. Yale university department of political science political philosophy reading list 2007 students will be examined on eight authors from the list below. The department of philosophy at yale offers a wide range of graduate and undergraduate courses in various traditions of philosophy, with strengths and a wellestablished reputation in the history of philosophy, ethics, metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of art as well as other central topics. Political philosophy the open yale courses series smith, steven b.
Forthcoming in the yale open courses series, this book is based on professor steven smiths introductory course in political philosophy. Introduction to political philosophy cosmolearning. Find materials for this course in the pages linked along the left. The three main topics of the course are introducedhappiness and flourishing, morality, and political philosophyand examples of some of the. Professor smith discusses the nature and scope of political philosophy. Three of the authors must come from part one herodotus to machiavelli and five from part two hobbes and after. Indepth conversations with experts on topics that matter. Learn more about the actions yale university press is taking. His research has been focused on the history of political philosophy and the role of statecraft in constitutional government.
Students may also appeal to be examined on textsauthors not currently included on the list e. The department is home to around 45 faculty, whose scholarship and teaching span across the subfields of political science and the countries of the world. Introduction to political philosophy fall 2006, open yale courses. For more than 300 years, yale university has inspired the minds that inspire the world. The top 50 yale course videos you can watch on youtube. Introduction to political philosophy plsc 114 professor smith discusses the nature and scope of political philosophy. Introduction to political philosophy a libertarianism. Yales philosophy department is known for its strength in the history of philosophy as well as for its long tradition of successful integration of history of philosophy and systematic philosophy. What is a state and how, if at all, can it give its citizens obligations to conform to its dictates. This guide covers the basic concepts and theories in political philosophy. Smith, a political science professor at yale university since 1984, has made available a 24lecture course, introduction to political philosophy.
In our online philosophy video lectures, we have covered different areas of philosophy ranging from political philosophy to philosophy of human nature and so on. Faber 665, t 45 and by appt course overview politics, like the ocean, has different levels. The program on ethics, politics and economics sponsors interdisciplinary teaching and research in the social sciences and humanities at yale. Building on its historical strength, yale is a leader in research and teaching in contemporary political science.
Political philosophy stephen darwall yale university. Program on ethics, politics and economics yale university. Open yale courses reflects the values of a liberal arts education. It covers much of the standard material for a first year class in political science and gives an insightful overview of the major works that form the core of western political philosophy. Lectures on hegels political philosophy a course offered in the autumn quarter, 1958 department of political science, the university of chicago edited by paul franco paul franco is professor of government at bowdoin college. The peace of nicias and the sicilian expedition 1981.
Yale has been home to some of the worlds foremost political scientists and the current faculty includes diverse practitioners of all the major methodologies of political science. He is author of hegels philosophy of freedom yale university press, 1999 and other works on political philosophy. Smith is alfred cowles professor of political science, yale university. This lecture starts by defending the statement that platos apology is the best introductory text for studying political philosophy. Such integration is exemplified by the fact that a large number of its faculty teach and pursue research in both areas. The politic is yale universitys undergraduate journal of politics. 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. A history of greek political thought from homer to polybius 1965 and 1986. Lecture notes introduction to political thought political science. Professor gendler explains the interdisciplinary nature of the course. In this lively and enlightening book, professor steven b. You can watch the 24 lectures from the course above, or find them on youtube and itunes. At yale he has served as the director of graduate studies in political science, director of the undergraduate program in humanities, and acting chair of judaic studies.