Philosophy 341: Social and Political Philosophy Fall 1998
Professor Newton Garver TTH 12:30, Clemens 202
E-mail: garver@acsu.buffalo.edu
Texts:
Kant: Towards Perpetual Peace
Schmitt: The Concept of the Political
Weil: The Iliad: Poem of Force
Garver & Reitan: Nonviolence and Community
Fisher & Ury: Getting to Yes
Carter: Civility
Requirements: Two short papers (1200 words), a midterm, and a final.
Grading Policy: Papers 20% each, class participation 15%, midterm 15%, final 30%.
SYLLABUS
Week 1: Varieties of politics and social ties. Handout and discussion.
Week 2: Kant’s on perpetual peace.
Week 3: Schmitt on politics -- I.
Week 4: Schmitt on politics -- II.
Week 5: Discussion of Kant and Schmitt: If Schmitt is right about the connection between politics and war, how can politics ever lead to peace? Is Kant anti-political?
Week 6: First paper due (topic to be assigned). Carter, Part I.
Week 7: Carter, Part II.
Week 8: Carter, Part III – Midterm Exam
Week 9: Weil
Week 10: Garver & Reitan
Week 11: Fisher & Ury
Week 12: Second paper due. Discussion: Communitarianism vs. cosmopolitanism
Week 13: Discussion: Rights: justice vs. cooperation
Week 14: Discussion: Freedom vs. security