This course is an introduction to the central themes of political philosophy: What is justice, and what would a just political society look like? What is the purpose of political society? How does freedom fit in to this purpose? In what ways are both freedom and authority limited by principles of justice, and in what ways by unavoidable facts? How do we determine which political facts are permanent and which can be changed?

These questions are timeless in the sense that each society, and every generation within each society, must confront them anew in the attempt to bring order and justice to people's common affairs. Political philosophy is the attempt to arrive at timeless answers--or at least, to achieve clarity about the fundamental alternatives amongst which people must choose. The aim of the course is to confront these questions by examining some of the most profound and influential writings in the history of Western political thought. Some of these works are directly responsible for the way that Americans understand political issues; they provide the arguments for our own mostly unquestioned assumptions. Others more or less directly challenge these arguments. The aim of the course is to engage these authors with open and critical minds, and to see how they engage each other. Our method will be to try, as best we can, to see the world through their eyes, to take them seriously as our teachers and mentors. This involves rigorously questioning our own views and assumptions, as well as their arguments and assertions.

Another principle objective of this course is to develop your ability to read difficult texts perceptively. Thus, we will examine not only our authors' arguments, but how those arguments are presented through the passages in question. This requires the reader to pay attention to detail, to the structure and literary style of the texts, and to engage in serious reflection. You should be prepared to read the assignments with painstaking care. Budget at least an hour for every ten pages of reading; any less and you hamstring your ability to master the arguments in the text, with predictable and negative consequences for your ability to write adequate essays on the exams. As you do the reading, explain the text to yourself in a notebook. The more notes you take on the reading the better you will do come test time. This will help you develop the analytical abilities and critical tools necessary to approach any great book with confidence and skill. Assignments should be completed before each class; I intend to call on each of you as frequently as class time allows.