The Modern Political Tradition: Hobbes to Habermas
Where to Watch The Modern Political Tradition: Hobbes to Habermas
36
Why Political Philosophy Matters
2014-05-30
Do we need more government or less? Will the liberal republican model stand up to and address the problems its ever-modernizing society will create?
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35
Just Wars? The Problem of Dirty Hands
2014-05-30
Revisit the topic of the ethics of war, which was touched upon earlier in the course. First, review the three active philosophical positions - pacifism, realism, and just war theory - then look at Michael Walzer's version of just war theory and his take on recent wars from a moral perspective.
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34
The End of History? Clash of Civilizations?
2014-05-30
The fall of communism and rise of economic globalization appeared to solidify the supremacy of liberal republicanism. Yet we have since witnessed a reassertion of ethnic nationalism and radical Islam, leading to an even more politically complex world.
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33
Habermas - Democracy as Communication
2014-05-30
No one has done more to give both a historical and a systematic philosophical defense of modern republicanism in the postwar period than Jürgen Habermas. Explore his philosophy of communication, as well as his arguments for liberal republicanism and social democracy against philosophical and theoretical attacks by conservatism, Nietzschean "will to power," and postmodernism.
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32
Postmodernism, Truth, and Power
2014-05-30
Postmodern critique has changed the discussions of sociology, literature, philosophy, and political theory by pressing feminist and multiculturalist versions of egalitarian liberalism or progressivism in a radical, anti-Eurocentric direction. Explore some ideas - both leftist and conservative - behind postmodernism in politics, as put forth by Cornel West, Michel Foucault, and others.
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31
The Politics of Nature - Environmentalism
2014-05-30
Environmentalism has been associated with the political left because it is often in the position of opposing major economic interests. Yet it's fundamentally conservative in that it wants to "go back" to an earlier time.
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30
Identity Politics - Multiculturalism
2014-05-30
Is "color-blindness" inherently unequal? Does a cultural group have rights? Is the goal of liberal democratic equality to treat citizens indifferently with respect to their racial, ethnic, or cultural distinctiveness, or to take that distinctiveness into account and value it? Here, explore the question of how recognizing cultural differences changes liberal republicanism.
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29
Identity Politics - Feminism
2014-05-30
The personal is political. This phrase, coined by Carol Hanisch in her 1969 essay of the same name, succinctly describes how feminism forever altered the boundary between the private and the public, which liberalism has always tended to reinforce.
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28
Walzer on Everything Money Shouldn't Buy
2014-05-30
Michael Walzer created perhaps the most interesting alternative to the distributive justice theories of Rawls and Nozick in his Spheres of Justice: A Defense of Pluralism and Equality. Explore his more communitarian theory of distributive justice and the distinction he draws between "thin" and "thick" political discourse, in attempting to deal with criticisms of his view.
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27
What about Community?
2014-05-30
As Rawls's theory of distributive justice, and some libertarian critics, were dominating political philosophy, a new group of political theorists called communitarians emerged to critique their views. See how this diverse movement of thinkers concerned with community, civic republicanism, and civil society responded to the individualism and neutrality of Rawls and Nozick.
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26
Ayn Rand, Robert Nozick, Libertarianism
2014-05-30
Take a nuanced look at libertarianism, starting with the views of novelist Ayn Rand, who defended laissez-faire and espoused a philosophy of "objectivism." Then turn to the work Anarchy, State, and Utopia, in which philosopher Robert Nozick provided a libertarian rebuttal to Rawls, laying the groundwork for future disagreements over the welfare state.
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25
Rawls's A Theory of Justice
2014-05-30
Is it just for one man to drive a luxury car and eat at expensive restaurants while another goes homeless and hungry? Consider such questions of justice as you explore the views of John Rawls, whose 1971 A Theory of Justice became the most famous justification of welfare liberalism in the late 20th century.
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24
Marcuse and the New Left
2014-05-30
Although the "old" left declined in the West after WWII, Frankfurt School thinker Herbert Marcuse was able to help create what was sometimes called a Freudian left through a psychological reinterpretation of Marxism. Delve into the New Left of the 1960s and Marcuse's ideas, which critiqued capitalism's seduction of society through the welfare state and culture industry.
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23
Philosophy vs. Politics - Strauss and Friends
2014-05-30
Now, turn to another German emigre philosopher who, like Arendt, probed further into the conflict between politics and philosophy while turning to the ancients for a political approach that avoids the mistakes of modernity. Examine Leo Strauss's work, which has significantly influenced American neoconservatives, and the related writings of his friend, Alexandre Kojève.
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22
Reviving the Public Realm - Hannah Arendt
2014-05-30
Hannah Arendt, one of the 20th century's premier political philosophers, was critical of the modern dominance of economics over politics in both communism and liberal capitalism, and she called for a return to civic republicanism. Here, look closely at the ideas she puts forth in The Human Condition and related works.
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21
Conservative or Neoliberal - Oakeshott, Hayek
2014-05-30
Neoliberals and economic conservatives disagree widely on many points, but they share a common enemy: expansive, progressive government. See the two paths conservatism took in the post - WWII world and examine the thought these camps produced - all of which serves as background for today's arguments about government and economy.
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20
Totalitarianism and Total War
2014-05-30
Explore the events surrounding World War II, including the role philosophers played and how political philosophers interpreted the new totalitarianism of Russia, Italy, and Germany. Grasp how this period produced our familiar spectrum of international politics, with communism on the far left and fascism on the far right.
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19
Fleeing Liberalism - Fascism and Carl Schmitt
2014-05-30
In the 1920s, opposition to bourgeois-led parliamentary democracy split between internationalist socialism and a new nationalist socialism, which came to be called fascism. Explore the roots of fascism and its most sophisticated political thinker, Carl Schmitt, who presents a deep philosophical critique of parliamentary democracy and liberal republicanism.
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18
Fleeing Liberalism - Varieties of Socialism
2014-05-30
Explore the growing variants of socialism, including a milder, "evolutionary" socialism in western Europe, an intermediate version of "Western Marxist" political theory, and a more radical, authoritarian communism in Russia. Look closely at the ideas of Vladimir Lenin and get a clear explanation of capitalism vs.
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17
Progressivism and New Liberalism
2014-05-30
From 1900 to 1920, American progressives such as Woodrow Wilson, Theodore Roosevelt, and John Dewey argued for an "organic" view of society against the natural rights, atomistic individualism, and limited government of the 19th century. Understand the role, effects, and issues raised by progressivism and new liberalism in America, including the welfare state.
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16
Modern vs. Traditional Society
2014-05-30
The modern world brought higher standards of living, unprecedented scientific knowledge, and widespread literacy, yet it also undermined tradition and, for many, led to a loss of community. Learn how figures from the newly emerging social sciences, including Max Weber, Sigmund Freud, and Friedrich Nietzsche, changed the intellectual environment in attempting to describe this shift.
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15
Marx's Critique of Capitalism
2014-05-30
German philosopher Karl Marx's critique of capitalism and vision of communism went unapplied until 1917 in Russia. By 1980, approximately one-third of the world's population lived in countries adhering to his work.
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14
Mill on Liberty and Utility
2014-05-30
Despite later declaring himself a socialist, John Stuart Mill is admired by neoliberals and libertarians for his "harm principle" and rejection of paternalism as expressed in On Liberty. Investigate Mill's doctrine of individual liberty and redefinition of utilitarianism, as well as his economic stance, all of which became crucial to subsequent political and economic theory.
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13
Civil Society - Constant, Hegel, Tocqueville
2014-05-30
Between the extremes of left and right, Benjamin Constant, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, and Alexis de Tocqueville made major contributions to political theory by examining the idea of what a free republic can and should be. Examine their writing, which demonstrated that two kinds of republicanism exist: liberal and civic.
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12
Nationalism and a People's War
2014-05-30
Part of the legacy of the French Revolution was the development of two phenomena: nationalism and the modern way of warfare. Look at the philosophical work of military theorist Carl von Clausewitz, who distinguished between "real war" and "pure war" (the latter being the type ushered in by Napoleon), as you consider the novelty and significance of these changes.
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11
Legacies of the Revolution - Right to Left
2014-05-30
Where do the political terms "right" and "left" come from? Find out here, in a lecture that explores powerful 19th-century thinkers on both sides of the spectrum, whose reactions to the polarizing French Revolution helped pave the way for more extreme conservatism and anarchist socialism that lasted throughout the century.
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10
Debating the French Revolution
2014-05-30
As the greatest political event of the 18th century, the French Revolution inspired political thinkers around the world. In the first of three lectures tracing the uprising's philosophical impact, delve into the liberal, conservative, and proto-progressive arguments made during "the battle of the pamphlets" - the first intellectual feud over the meaning of the Revolution.
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9
Montesquieu and the American Founding
2014-05-30
The complexities of the American Constitution and system of government are a consequence of disagreements between Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison. Look at their arguments and contributions to political thought - including the Declaration of Independence, parts of the Constitution, and the Federalist Papers - along with the ideas of Montesquieu.
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8
Smith and the Market Revolution
2014-05-30
Inspired by the commercial success of Holland and England, a number of 18th-century intellectuals argued that a society of self-interested producers is good, despite its flaunting of traditional, classical, and Christian virtues. Investigate these thinkers, including Voltaire and Adam Smith, who each believed commerce promotes liberty, peace, and prosperity.
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7
Kant's Ethics of Duty and Natural Rights
2014-05-30
Immanuel Kant is attributed with creating one of the two most influential theories of ethics, deontological ethics - the other being utilitarianism - each of which became the background for an enduring view of modern republicanism. In this lecture, examine Kant's fundamental arguments, which are key to understanding much of modern political theory.
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6
Rousseau's Republican Community
2014-05-30
As the Enlightenment's greatest champion of equality, Swiss writer Jean-Jacques Rousseau endorsed the social contract - but his ideas differed from Hobbes and Locke in critical ways. Here, examine Rousseau's legacy and thought, which sought to structure modern civil society in a way that might recapture what he saw as the independence and equality of primitive society.
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5
Locke on Limited Government and Toleration
2014-05-30
Turn to John Locke and his more "liberal" notion of the state of nature and the social contract, which reinterpreted civic republicanism in terms of the preservation of property. Follow the arguments he presented in his Second Treatise on Government and Letter on Toleration, which ultimately established the foundation of the Anglo-American version of modern republicanism.
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4
Hobbes, Natural Law, the Social Contract
2014-05-30
Explore the first version of social contract theory as espoused by Thomas Hobbes, who based his view on moral relativism and a pessimistic state of nature in which there is a war of all against all. Learn why for society to function, according to Hobbes, the people must give up control to the sovereign, upon which no limits can be placed.
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3
Machiavelli's New Order
2014-05-30
Does politics demand behavior that is ethically immoral? Do the ends justify the means? Explore the legacy of Niccolò Machiavelli, the first modern political philosopher and political scientist, who broke with the classical virtue politics of Plato, Aristotle, Rome, and medieval Christianity, establishing a new order of political thought that focused on politics in the real world.
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2
Ancient Republics, Empires, Fiefdoms
2014-05-30
Modern political philosophy emerged, along with the rise of modernity, out of medieval feudalism. Delve into the history of politics leading up to 16th-century Europe, including the development of ancient political organization, the ideas of Plato and Aristotle - the first Western political theorists - and the contributions of medieval philosophy, such as the notion of "just war.
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1
Origins and Conflicts of Modern Politics
2014-05-30
Kick off the course with a discussion of political philosophy's continuing influence in the world and its major concepts, including democracy, republicanism, and liberalism. Consider moral realism versus moral relativism, and learn how the history of modern political thought has evolved from its formation through its contemporary period.
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"The Modern Political Tradition: Hobbes to Habermas" offers a comprehensive exploration of the evolution of political thought from the 17th century to the present day. Delivered by Professor Lawrence Cahoone, this course from The Great Courses Signature Collection delves into the works of influential philosophers such as Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Karl Marx, John Stuart Mill, Sigmund Freud, Max Weber, and Jurgen Habermas.
Throughout the lectures, Professor Cahoone examines how these thinkers have shaped our understanding of politics, power, authority, and society. By analyzing their major works and ideas, he illuminates the key concepts that have defined the modern political tradition.
The course begins by looking at Thomas Hobbes and his seminal work "Leviathan," which laid the foundation for modern political theory with its focus on the social contract, the state of nature, and the role of the sovereign. Moving on to John Locke, Rousseau, and Mill, Professor Cahoone explores the emergence of liberalism and democratic principles, highlighting the importance of individual rights, natural law, and the social contract in shaping modern political systems.
As the lectures progress, Karl Marx's critique of capitalism and his vision of a classless society, as well as Freud's analysis of the unconscious mind and its impact on political behavior, are examined in detail. Max Weber's theory of bureaucracy and rationalization, along with his views on authority and charismatic leadership, offer further insights into the complexities of modern political structures.
The course culminates in an exploration of Jurgen Habermas's theory of communicative action and the public sphere. By focusing on the role of language, discourse, and rationality in the formation of democratic societies, Professor Cahoone sheds light on the challenges and possibilities of contemporary political life.
One of the key strengths of "The Modern Political Tradition" is Professor Cahoone's ability to connect the ideas of these diverse thinkers to real-world political events and movements. By tracing the impact of their theories on historical events such as the French Revolution, the rise of socialism, and the development of liberal democracies, he illustrates how political thought has influenced and been influenced by the social and political context in which it emerges.
Overall, "The Modern Political Tradition: Hobbes to Habermas" provides a rich and engaging overview of the major currents in modern political thought. Whether you are a student of politics, philosophy, or history, or simply interested in understanding the ideas that have shaped the world we live in today, this course offers a thought-provoking journey through the evolution of political theory and practice.
The Modern Political Tradition: Hobbes to Habermas is a series categorized as a new series. Spanning 1 seasons with a total of 36 episodes, the show debuted on 2014. The series has earned a no reviews from both critics and viewers. The IMDb score stands at undefined.
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How can I watch The Modern Political Tradition: Hobbes to Habermas online? The Modern Political Tradition: Hobbes to Habermas is available on The Great Courses Signature Collection with seasons and full episodes. You can also watch The Modern Political Tradition: Hobbes to Habermas on demand at Amazon Prime, Apple TV Channels, Amazon online.
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