Summary of "1. Introduction: What is Political Philosophy?"

Summary of "Introduction: What is Political Philosophy?"

Speaker: Professor Steven Smith

Main Ideas and Concepts

Definition and Nature of Political Philosophy
- Political philosophy can be seen as a subfield of political science but is more fundamentally the oldest and foundational part of the discipline.
- Its purpose is to expose the fundamental problems, concepts, and categories that frame political inquiry.
- Political philosophy is deeply rooted in the study of classical and influential thinkers (Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Hegel, Tocqueville, Nietzsche, etc.).
- The study is not about accepting these thinkers’ answers but engaging with their fundamental questions, which remain relevant today.
Why Study Old Texts?
- Unlike other social sciences that move away from foundational texts (e.g., economists rarely read Adam Smith), political philosophy continues to study classical works because the fundamental political questions they pose remain unresolved and essential.
- These texts provide a repository of permanent questions rather than ready-made answers.
- Students should not treat these works as authoritative but as a starting point for their own reasoning and judgment.
Key Questions in Political Philosophy
- What is justice?
- What are the goals of a decent society?
- How should citizens be educated?
- Why obey the law and what are the limits of this obligation?
- What grounds human dignity?
- Does God exist, and what implications does that have for human obligations?
- What is a regime? What kinds exist? What holds them together or causes their collapse?
- Is there a single best regime?
The Concept of the Regime
- A regime is a form of government defined by how power is distributed (rule by one, few, many, or a mixture).
- Regimes are structured into a limited number of types, not infinite varieties.
- Regimes carry partisan loyalties and passions, often leading to conflict both between and within regimes.
- Regimes encompass not only formal institutions but also the moral, religious, and cultural ethos that shapes a people’s character.
- Example: Tocqueville’s study of American democracy included formal institutions and informal practices like civic associations and moral attitudes.
Founding and Sustaining Regimes
- Some regimes arise from deep historical processes (Tocqueville’s view), others from deliberate acts of statecraft by founding figures (Plato, Machiavelli, Rousseau, Hamilton).
- The question of whether regimes are founded by conscious design or accident remains central.
Statesmanship and Political Philosophy as Practical
- Political philosophy was historically a science of statecraft aimed at advising rulers and shaping regimes.
- Great political thinkers were engaged in the politics of their times, not detached intellectuals.
- Qualities of a statesman and the nature of statecraft vary among thinkers: from philosopher-kings (Plato) to practical judgment (Aristotle) to ruthless pragmatism (Machiavelli).
The Best Regime and Political Philosophy’s Paradox
- Political philosophy is concerned with the question of the best regime, which is always an ideal, never fully realized.
- The best regime favors a certain kind of human being (e.g., aristocrat, common man, warrior, priest).
- There is tension between loyalty to actual regimes and the ideal of the best regime.
- Aristotle distinguished between the good citizen (loyal to one’s regime) and the good human being (loves what is good universally).
- Political philosophy exists in the tension between what is (actual regimes) and what ought to be (the best regime).
- This tension makes political philosophy a potentially unsettling but necessary discipline.
Eros and the Quest for Political Knowledge
- The ancient Greeks described the desire for knowledge of the best regime as eros (love).
- The study of political philosophy can be seen as a tribute to love—love of justice, truth, and the good society.

Methodology / Instructions for Students

Engage critically with classical texts, not accepting them as final authorities but as sources of fundamental questions.
Reflect on the continuing relevance of these questions to contemporary political issues (globalization, terrorism, ethnic conflict).
Consider the nature of regimes, their forms, and their underlying ethos in both historical and modern contexts.
Explore the qualities of statesmanship and the practical role of political philosophy in advising and shaping political life.
Contemplate the tension between the ideal (best regime) and the actual, and how this tension shapes political inquiry.
Approach the course with an openness to having your own loyalties and perspectives challenged or transformed.
Begin reading Plato’s Apology as an introduction to these themes.