Intro to Politics and Philosophy

Question 1

Define Politics according to Laswell, Aristotle, and Von Clausewitz.

Answer 1

Von Clausewitz: “War is an extension of politics”
Laswell: “Who gets what when and how.”
Aristotle: “How we ought to order our lives together”

Question 2

What is the “Political Problem?”

Answer 2

Well-meaning people will disagree on how to use power

Question 3

What is a working definition of Power?

Answer 3

the ability to cause or influence obedience from others

Question 4

What is the purpose of government and politics?

Answer 4

To solve the political problem.

Question 5

Metaphysics

Answer 5

What is real?

Question 6

Anthropology

Answer 6

Who are we as humans?

Question 7

Epistemology

Answer 7

What/how do we know things?

Question 8

Ethics

Answer 8

How should we order our lives?

Question 9

Politics

Answer 9

How should we order our lives together?

Question 10

What happened to these categories of philosophy in modernity and post-modernity?

Answer 10

MODERNITY: the rise of science removing metaphysics. The non-material is questioned. POSTMODERNITY: anthropology and epistemology are removed as well. The skepticism led to nihilism.

Question 11

What does Wyle E. Coyote have to do with postmodern nihilism.?

Answer 11

When there is only politics and ethics, you basically run off a cliff. (There is no longer the foundation of metaphysics, anthropology and epistemology.)