Philosophy 265 S

                                                Introduction to Political Philosophy

                                                            Winter 2005

 

 

Sidney Smith 2135                                                                                           Professor Gopal Sreenivasan

Thurs 12-2:00                                                                                                  215 Huron Street, Room 921

                        (416) 978-2824

                                                                                                                    gopal.sreenivasan@utoronto.ca  

 

Readings

 

            Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan (Hackett). 

            John Locke, Two Treatises of Government (Cambridge).

            Jean-Jacques Rousseau, On the Social Contract (Hackett).

            Robert Nozick, Anarchy, State, and Utopia (Basic Books).

            John Rawls, A Theory of Justice (Harvard).

 

            Books are available for purchase at the University Bookstore

 

Assignments

 

There will be three in-class examinations, each worth 15 percent of the final grade. There will also be a final examination, worth 45 percent of the final grade.  Participation in tutorials will count for 10 percent of the final grade.  There will be no essays.

 

 

Schedule

 

January 6                                  Introduction -- no reading.

Jan 13                                      Hobbes, chh. 6, 10-11, and 13-17.

Jan 20                                      Hobbes, chh. 18-19 and 29-30.

Jan 27                                      Hobbes, chh. 21, 24, and 28.                                      

February 3                               Locke, Second Treatise, chh. 1-5.

                                                First in-class exam.                                        

Feb 10                                     Locke, Second Treatise, chh. 7-14.

 

Feb 17                                     Reading week.

Feb 24                                     Locke, Second Treatise, chh. 17-19.

March 3                                   Rousseau, Social Contract, bks. 1-2.

                                                Second in-class exam.

March 10                                 Rousseau, Social Contract, bks. 3-4.

March 17                                 Nozick, pp. 3-35, 48-53, and 96-119.

March 24                                 Nozick, pp. 149-182.

March 31                                 Rawls, sections 1-6, 11-17, and 20-25.

                                                Third in-class exam.

April 7                                      Rawls, sections 26-30 and Nozick, pp. 183-231.


Tutorials

 

There will be a weekly tutorial in this course with a TA.  Tutorials are offered on Thursdays from 11-12 (right before class), 2-3 (right after class), and 3-4.

 

Everyone must be signed in to a tutorial.  All in-class examinations will be written in the tutorial!  Participation in tutorial also counts for ten percent of your grade.

 

 

Office hours

 

Sreenivasan                  Tuesdays 1-3.  Room 921, 215 Huron Street.  I will also hold

                                    office hours by appointment.

 

TAs                              Farshid Baghai, Danielle Bromwich, and Abigail Levin.

                                    Their office hours will be announced.

 

 

 

 

6 January 2005