Political Philosophy (MOC)

Notes

Political philosophy deals with questions related to how we interact as people within a society, which forces govern us, how do we come to agreement (or not) as people, and which topics interest us as a society the most.

What is a state

1. Social Contract - A result of a implicit or explicit consent of groups of people that decide to live together under a joint rule.
2. Neutrality - We imagine the state as something neutral, that represents all the different sides of society, while it is much easier said than done, can different voices really be merged into one? (Pluralism )
3. Justice - we believe that a society has to be just, that it treats it's members equally and works to the benefit of their wellbeing.

Threats to social cohesion

1. Inequality - inequality breeds conflicts and dissatisfaction within a society. IT is not only the differences in resources, but rather the differences in power that are of interest, and their effect on how we perceive reality (Soft power)
2. Commodification - when economical view penetrates areas that are meant to be sacred
3. Segregation - when we treat others as not equal in terms of rights, and even not as worthy of being called human (Moral worth )
4. security - What are the limitations on individuals that we are willing to accept for the security of the society.

How to increase social cohesion

1. Diversity - promote the inclusion and fusion of different voices in the public sphere. This is not always so easy to implement (Affirmative Action (podcast) )

Ideologies

1. post-modernism - we were influenced by grand narratives that have narrowed our ways of thinking and reduced it to a herd mentality (Post-Modernism )
2. vail of ignorance - the only way to create a just society is to try and remove ourselves from the equation, to think as if we make decisions behind a vail of ignorance (Veil of ignorance )
3. Functionalism - to see that each part of society plays a role, and society is the mergent property of the combination of those different roles. (Functionalism )

Books

The second sex (book)

Philosophers

Thomas Hobbes (philosopher) Simone weil (philosopher) Plato (philosopher) Machiavelli (philosopher) Karl Marx (philosopher) Jose Ortega (philosopher) John Locke (philosopher) Jean-Jacques Rousseau (philosopher) Georg Hegel (philosopher) Adam Smith (philosopher)

Courses

Modern Political Thinking (course)

Other MOC