Core Concepts INTRO

Question 1

What is social contract theory?

Answer 1

A theory that posits individuals consent, either explicitly or implicitly, to form a society and accept certain moral and political obligations.

Question 2

Define social atomism.

Answer 2

The view that society is made up of individuals acting independently rather than through collective groups.

Question 3

What is liberalism?

Answer 3

A political philosophy that emphasizes individual rights, freedom, and equality before the law.

Question 4

Differentiate between positive and negative conceptions of liberty.

Answer 4

Positive liberty is the freedom to achieve one’s potential, while negative liberty is freedom from interference by others.

Question 5

What are formal and substantial conceptions of liberty?

Answer 5

Formal liberty refers to the legal rights individuals have, while substantial liberty pertains to the actual capacity to act on those rights.

Question 6

What is the distinction between natural and conventional rights?

Answer 6

Natural rights are inherent and universal, while conventional rights are established by societal norms and laws.

Question 7

What is the role of property in political philosophy?

Answer 7

Property is often viewed as a fundamental right and essential for individual autonomy and economic stability.

Question 8

What is the relationship between law and autonomy?

Answer 8

Law can both enable and restrict individual autonomy, shaping the boundaries within which individuals exercise their freedoms.

Question 9

True or False: Law and morality are always aligned.

Answer 9

False

Question 10

Fill in the blank: The _______ is a foundational document of liberal political philosophy authored by John Locke.

Answer 10

Second Treatise of Government

Question 11

Who presented the challenge known as Glaucon’s challenge?

Answer 11

Plato/Socrates

Question 12

What metaphor is used in Plato’s Republic VI to describe governance?

Answer 12

Ship of state

Question 13

What is the significance of Rousseau’s ‘The Social Contract’?

Answer 13

It explores the idea of collective sovereignty and the legitimacy of political authority.

Question 14

What is Glaucon’s Challenge?

Answer 14

A philosophical challenge presented by Glaucon in Plato’s work.

Question 15

What does the Ship of State represent?

Answer 15

An allegory used by Plato to describe governance and society.

Question 16

What is Hobbes’ major work?

Answer 16

Leviathan

Question 17

What is Rousseau’s significant concept?

Answer 17

The social contract

Question 18

What is Locke’s important text?

Answer 18

Second Treatise

Question 19

What does ‘state of nature’ refer to?

Answer 19

A philosophical concept discussing human existence before society.

Question 20

What are key ideas presented in Leviathan?

Answer 20

Leviathan presents the concept of a social contract, the necessity of a strong central authority, and the idea that humans are naturally self-interested and require governance to maintain order.

Question 21

What are key ideas presented in the Republic of Plato?

Answer 21

The Republic discusses justice, the ideal state, the philosopher-king, and the theory of forms, emphasizing the importance of knowledge and virtue in governance.

Question 22

What are key ideas presented in Second Treatise of Locke?

Answer 22

Locke’s Second Treatise outlines natural rights, the social contract, government by consent, and the right to revolt against unjust authority.

Question 23

What are key ideas presented in Locke’s political philosophy?

Answer 23

Locke’s political philosophy emphasizes individual rights, the role of government in protecting these rights, and the importance of property as a natural extension of personal liberty.