Basic Concepts And Classical Thinkers Flashcards
Theories of political science
Explain on the macro level
Actor theories on macro level
Institutional theory
System theories on the macro level
Systems theory
Explain on the micro level
Actor theories on the micro level
Behaviorism
RC approaches
..wants to explain the behavior of individual actors ( human beings, institutions, states)
System theories on the micro level
Critical theory
..wants to explain the systematic background conditions of individual actions
Four elements of political theory
Self-reflection of political science
Clarification of the identity and self-conception of the academic field of political science
Key questions /concepts of political science?
Methodical approaches
Reflections and definitions of most important technical terms
History of political thought History of systematic thinking about politics History of concepts History of theories History of ideologies History of institutions History of mind sets and mentalities
Political philosophy Most fundamental questions in political science (according to Immanuel Kant) What can we know? (Epistemology) What shall we do? (Ethics) What shall we hope? (Religion) What is the human being?
Theories of political science Abstract theories of political science Actor theories on the micro level Actor theories on the macro level System theories on the micro level System theories on the macro level
Politics is always multilayered
World (sets framework) Region State Subnational level City/ community/ local level Family / group Individual (constitutes and shapes)
-unintended consequences very often!
Institutional theory
Jonathan turner: “a complex of positions, roles, norms and values lodged in particular types of social structures and organizing relatively stable patterns of human activity with respect to fundamental problems km producing life-sustaining resources, in reproducing individuals, and in sustaining viable societal structures within a given environment.
Institutions are sets of rules that govern the behavior of groups of people
- institutions reproduce themselves from one generation of people to another
- institutions govern the behavior of people.
Institutions provide reliability of expectations - institutions provide social roles ( husband and spouse, teacher and pupils, king and subjects)
- institutions help human beings to orient themselves
- institutions symbolize their guiding principles with the help of architecture and origin and foundation myths
- institutions stabilize society by shaping human identities
- examples: family, the habit to live in partner relationships, schools, states, hospitals
Behaviorism and RC approaches
Behaviorism
Radical behaviorism is a psychological / philosophical approach that states that studies behavior objectively without assuming any mental leife or internal psychological states
Classical condition- pavlovs experiments with dogs (stimulus - response)
Operant conditioning: type of learning in which the behavior of individuals is modified by its consequences (re-enforcement and punishment)
Stimulus - black box organism - response
Rational choice approaches
Rational choice approaches assume that human beings are rational actors. I.e. Human beings prefer having more of a certain good than having less, so they seek the most efficient means to achieve a specific goal (benefit maximization)
- aim at quantitative models of human behavior
- rational choice approaches are applied in game theory, political sciences ( eg voting behavior)
Some answers to the question of relevance of the history of political thought
- History of political ideas is huge reservoir of
Problems already thought about
Possible instruments to solve those problems
Successful and unsuccessful solutions for those problems - The study of the history of political ideas leads to the insight that the historical situation frames any political theory / thinking about politics. This is also the for today’s thoughts on politics
Key questions discussed in the history of political thought
- What is politics? What is the state?
- What is politically good? What should be done?
- Who should rule?
- How should be governed?
- When are people allowed to resist against political authorities?
Key questions for the research on any specific thinker
Historical context Social status Methodological approach Key writings Key arguments Theoretic traditions Perception of human nature Normative approach Evaluation from a today's point of view
Plato and Platonism
Plato (427- 347BC) was one of Socrates’ pupils. As his teacher he wanted to educate people (virtue) rather than to convince them. (Sophistic rhetoric), key book on politics: “politeia” (republic)
Platonism is the view that abstract non-physical, non-mental objects really exist: ideas, universals, numbers, properties
- The one over many argument: I see three red objects (say a ball, a hat and a rose). These objects resemble one another. Therefore, they have something in common. What they have in common is clearly a property, namely, redness; therefore redness exists.
- The singular term argument ( gottlob Frege) if a simple sentence is true, then the objects that it’s singular term denote exists,eg if there is an f is true, then there exist some Fs. There are literally true sentences containing singular terms that refer to things that could only be abstract objects. Therefore abstract objects exist.
Plato and justice
Justice
After having experienced the unjust death penalty against his teacher Socrates, justice became plato’s most important concept
4 notions of justice
1. Returning debts owed (democracy)
2 helping friends and harming enemies ( oligarchy)
3. What is advantageous to the stronger (tyrannis)
4. Working at that which one is naturally best suited (to so one’s own business/ “jedem das seine”) defined in this way, justice sustains and perfects the three cardinal virtues: temperance, wisdom, courage (ideal polis)
Evolution of the cities (republic book 2)
Healthy city/ city of swine
Only one aim: satisfaction of human needs, production
->
Luxurious city
More needs- expansion- war- necessity of warriors
–>
Purified city / ideal city
Creation of ideal warriors - education of warriors by philosophers
The ideal state
Idea
Philosophers (reason)
Warriors (protection)
Farmers ( production)
Final goal: establishment of an ideal state
Legitimate means to reach this goal: censorship, control of sexuality, killing babies, instrumental lies (eg Plato ‘s myth of the metals : gold, silver, bronze, iron)
Human beings have natural inclinations that should be fulfilled; philosopher-Kings: those who love the sight of truth, farmers are farmers by nature
“Until philosophers rule as kings or those who are now called kings he built and adequately philosophize, cities will have no rest from evils, nor, I think, will the human race .
Aristotle and the true constitution
Classification of constitutions
True Aim for the common good Monarchy ( government of one) Aristocracy ( government of few) Constitutional government (government of many)
Perverted (aim for the well-being of a part of society only)
Tyranny (government of one)
Oligarchy (government of few)
Democracy ( government of many)
Aristotle (384-322 BC)
Plato’s student, Alexander’s teacher
Systematic analysis of empirical constitutions (clear differentiation of ethical and empirical phenomena)
Goal of life is: happiness (eudaimonia)
The way to happiness is: virtue: (avoiding extremes/ the golden mean)
The function of politics: setting the framework for a virtual life of people
Human being is zoon politicon, he forms states naturally (starting with families- villages - cities)
Key book on politics : politics
Key book on ethics: nicomachean ethics
Two levels of authorities: oikos and polis
Three levels of authority within the oikos (house)
Matrimony: democratic relationship between husband and spouse
Parenthood: monarchic relationship between parents and children
Leadership: tyrannical relationship between master and slaves
Functions of the oikos
Economic activities
Religious activities
Social activities
Authority in the polis
Only free citizens (those who do not have to work)
No women, foreigners, slaves
Aristotelian ethics
Justice and friendship
Three types of friendship (philia)
Friendship of utility: I like someone because it is advantageous for me to like him
Friendship of pleasure: I like someone because it is fun spending time with him
Friendship of the good : I like someone because (genuine friend is someone who loves or likes another person for the sake of that other person.
Two types of justice
Lustitia distributiva (distributive justice)
To each what he deserves
Depending on honor / value of person
Lustitia commutativa / iustitia correctiva (Retributive justice ) To each the same Exchange of goods Criminal law
