Fall 2004

    Philosophy 323/Government 323 - Classical Western Political Theory

    Section 001             T R 12:00 - 1:15 PM

Syllabus



Instructor: Prof. Cherubin

Office: Robinson B462

Office hours: T 3:00 - 5:00 PM; R 3:00 - 4:00 PM; additional times available by appointment

Office phone: 3-1332

E-mail: rcherubi@gmu.edu

Course web site: http://www.gmu.edu/courses/phil/ancient/pg3234.htm


    Description
        This course is intended to introduce the student to pre-modern political theory of the Mediterranean area through the study of primary texts. Specifically, this course will introduce students to that form of theoretical thinking known as political philosophy. Students are not expected to have had any previous experience in philosophy. However, course requirements will befit a 300-level philosophy course.
        The term 'philosophia', from which the English word 'philosophy' comes, was coined in ancient Greek to describe an activity that was considered to have begun around the late seventh century BCE. This activity was understood to be fundamental inquiry into the ultimate nature and meaning of the whole of what is, an inquiry that went beyond the accepted ideas and beliefs of the time. Political philosophy, as a branch of philosophia, inquires into the ultimate nature and meaning of the political world and all that it involves. Questions we will look at in this course include the following: What is justice? What is (are) the best kind(s) of community to live in, or what (if anything) would make a community worth living in? What makes a community a political one? Do we need communities, or political communities, at all, and if so, why and for what? Should a community be set up to further goal(s), and if so, what should that goal(s) be? What role does justice play in making a community worth living in? How should we live in order to make the best kind(s) of community? What is the ideal community, and why? How if at all are discussions of ideal communities informative or worthwhile; what do they tell us? What is (are) the best kind(s) of life for a human, the kind(s) most worth living? What is the relationship between the best kind(s) of life for a human, and the best kind(s) of community: are they compatible, or is the good of the individual likely to be at odds with the good of the community as a whole? What is (are) the best form(s) of government; of these, why are they best and what and whom are they best for? What is an appropriate justification for law; what laws are we obligated to follow, and why? What is an appropriate basis for authority, and why? Who should, and who (if anyone) should not, participate in political decision-making, and why? What if any responsibilities does a citizen have for inquiry into the nature of things, education of self and others, and behavior toward others? What should be the relationship between membership in a political community, and membership in a religious community, between religious and political laws and duties, between religious teachings and human reasoning in political (legislative, judicial, etc.) matters? Are human directions and goals compatible with any divine or natural order that might exist?
    This course is designated as Writing Intensive.

    Aims
        This course aims to introduce students to the questions, ideas, and ways of thinking that characterize ancient and medieval political philosophy, and to the significance of these texts, ideas, questions, and ways of thinking for addressing today’s concerns. This means an introduction to core texts of ancient and medieval political philosophy; an introduction to the skills of reading philosophy in general and early political philosophy in particular; an introduction to problems of interpretation of ancient texts and foreign-language philosophy; an introduction to critical evaluation of secondary sources; and an introduction to critical reading and thinking. Students will learn how to apply the questions, ideas, and ways of thinking developed by the early political philosophers to issues in the modern (or post-modern) world, and will learn to assess, criticize constructively, and further develop these ancient positions.

    Technology Skills
        By the end of the semester students in this course should be able to use e-mail; to use on-line library catalogs and other library databases (including Philosopher's Index, which will be discussed in class) to find reserve and non-reserve materials such as books and journal articles; to use word-processing programs such as WordPerfect or Word to format documents with correct margins and (if needed) footnotes or endnotes; be able to access documents on the course web site, in on-line journal databases,  and on the GMU electronic reserve system.
    Please be sure that your GMU e-mail account is activated. University policies now require students to activate their GMU e-mail accounts and to check their GMU e-mail regularly. (See page 3 of the Schedule of Classes or go to http://www.gmu.edu/catalog/apolicies/#Anchor4 .) Many official university communications (announcements; messages from Financial Aid, the Library, instructors, etc.) are sent by e-mail, and students are responsible for knowing the information conveyed in this way.

    Course Requirements

A. Required Texts
(Please purchase ##1-4 by the sixth week of classes; the bookstore tends to return unsold books to the publishers after that point.)
    a. through web links from our course Supplementary readings page, http://www.gmu.edu/courses/phil/ancient/pg323sr.htm ;
    b. on reserve in the Johnson Center Library; or
    c. on electronic reserve. As of the first day of classes the password that will allow us to access the electronic reserves is not yet available. As soon as I am informed of the password I will inform the class.

B. Classwork

C. Written Work    
      a. The first paper is to be no less than 5 pages long, and will be due on September 30. The topic will pertain to the Plato reading. This paper is required.
      b. The second paper is to be no less than 5 pages long, and will be due on November 2 (note change from date originally specified in print syllabus). The topic will pertain to the Aristotle reading. This paper is required.
      c. Students are to select ONE of the following options:
    (1) Option 1: this paper is to be no less than 5 pages long, and will be due on November 23 (note change from date originally specified in print syllabus). The topic will pertain to the Cicero reading.
    (2) Option 2: this paper is to be no less than 5 pages long, and will be due on  December 2. The topic will pertain to the Aquinas, Albo, and/or Alfarabi reading.It is required that you submit ONE of these (not both).
      d. The final exam will be a take-home essay exam, and will be due in Robinson B462 by 5 PM on December 14. This is required.
   

    Grading

1. Letter Grades.
There will of course be partial credit given on exam questions.
Grades of A-, B+, B-, C+, etc. will also be given. An A- paper is between an A paper and a B paper but closer to an A paper; a B+ paper is between an A paper and a B paper but closer to a B paper, etc.
As required by University policy, a letter grade of A+ is equivalent to a numerical grade of 4.0; a grade of A is also equivalent to a numerical grade of 4.0; a grade of A- is equivalent to a 3.67; a B+ is equivalent to a 3.33; a B is equivalent to a 3.0; etc.
For a full listing of the University’s policy for converting letter grades into numerical grades to compute your GPA (grade-point average), see the University Catalog online at http://www.gmu.edu/catalog/apolicies/#Anchor42  .

2. Late assignment policy: Work that is handed in late with a documented legitimate excuse will be accepted without penalty. Examples of documented legitimate excuses include a doctor’s note or emergency room receipt if the absence was due to illness; a receipt from a mechanic for emergency car repairs on the day of class; an official document (such as a syllabus) from one of your other courses proving that you had a required field trip for that class on the day our class meets; an official  document from your workplace proving that your job sent you out of town on the day our class meets; an official document from an athletic team proving that you had a competition on the day our class meets; etc.
Other work that is handed in late, without a documented legitimate excuse, will lose one grade increment per class session that it is late. For example, an assignment that would have received a B+ if handed in on time will receive a B- if handed in one week late. The maximum penalty is two full letter grades: assignments handed in three or more weeks late will lose two letter grades.

3. Policy on assignments that are not submitted at all: Any required assignment that you do not submit by the time that the last assignment is due will receive a grade of F, unless you have requested a grade of IN.

4. Policy concerning grades of IN (incomplete): Grades of IN will be given only in either of the following situations:
        (1) If you request, in writing, a grade of IN at least 24 hours before the last assignment is due, OR
        (2) If a sudden emergency arises less than 24 hours before the assignment is due AND you can provide documentation of this emergency (as described in the section on late assignments, above) and request the IN in writing.
    If you do not submit a written request for a grade of IN and cannot provide documentation of emergency, you will receive a grade of F for each assignment that is missing.

5. Policy on plagiarism/ Honor Code policy: You are responsible for knowing, understanding, and obeying the University Honor Code and the Honor Code Statement for this course. For details please see the Honor Code Statement attached at the end of this syllabus. The policy for this class is in accordance with University policy as outlined in the online University Catalog at http://www.gmu.edu/catalog/apolicies/#Anchor12 . If you have any questions, please ask your instructor.

6. Special situations: If you have a learning disability, physical disability, or other condition that requires that you receive modified assignments, note-takers, extended exam time, etc., please get the proper documentation from the Disabled Students Office to me as soon as possible, so that we can set up appropriate arrangements.  If you have any other special situation that requires that you receive modified assignments, extended exam time, etc., please get the proper documentation to me as soon as possible so that we can set up appropriate arrangements. Please take a moment (before or after class, in office hours, etc.) to make sure I understand exactly what you will need. Do not wait until just before exam time to do this; if you wait too long, there may not be time to set up the arrangements you need.

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    Schedule

Please note that this schedule may change should that become necessary. Any changes that must occur will be announced in class beginning as soon as the instructor knows of them. Students are responsible for becoming aware of these changes once they have been announced.

August 31 - September 2: Introduction

September 2 - 28: Plato, part 1
Text: Plato, Republic
    due 9/2: Book I
    week of 9/7: Books I - III
    week of 9/14: Books IV - VI
    9/21 - 28: Books VII - IX
→See list on our Supplementary Readings web site (http://www.gmu.edu/courses/phil/ancient/pg323sr.htm) for specifics, plus additional reserve, web, and/or library reading for each week.
September 30: Paper due

September 30 - October 26: Aristotle, part 1
Text: Aristotle, Politics
    due 9/30: Book I
    week of 10/5: Books I and II
    due 10/14:  Book III (no class session 10/12)
    10/19 - 26: Books IV - VI
→See Supplementary Readings web site for details and additional reserve, web, and/or library reading.
  Nov. 2: Paper due (note change from date originally specified)

October 28 - November 9: Cicero
Text: Cicero, The Republic and the Laws
→See Supplementary Readings web site for details and additional reserve, web, and/or library reading.
November 23: If you have selected Paper Option 1 (Cicero), this is its due date (note change from date originally specified)

November 11 - 18: Medieval Jewish and Islamic Political Philosophy (Albo, Alfarabi)
Text: photocopied material, to be distributed in class OR sold as a course packet in October (update as of November 9: this is available here as a .pdf file)
→See Supplementary Readings web site for details and additional reserve, web, and/or library reading.

November 23 - 30: Aquinas
Text: Aquinas, Treatise on Law (selections)
→See Supplementary Readings web site for details and additional reserve, web, and/or library reading.
    December 2: If you have selected Paper Option 2 (Albo/Alfarabi/Aquinas), this is its due date.

December 2 - 9: The Ends of Political Life: Plato and Aristotle revisited
Texts: Plato, Republic Book X; Aristotle, Politics Books VII and VIII
    December 14: Final Exam due

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    Related (optional) materials and activities

1. The GMU Philosophy Club holds meetings, lectures, discussions, and debates on campus. All of these events are open to all interested students, regardless of experience or major. Some joint activities with other area colleges are planned. Its events will be announced in class, but for more information visit the Philosophy & Religious Studies department office (Robinson B465), or contact the Club's faculty advisor, Prof. Emmett Holman (eholman@gmu.edu).
2. For supplemental ancient philosophy notes, announcements, and links to pertinent web sites, visit your instructor's main web site at www.gmu.edu/courses/phil/ancient/index.htm  .

    Important dates this semester

Sept. 14: Last day to add classes; last day to drop with no tuition liability
Oct. 1: Last day to drop classes with no academic liability
Oct. 12: No class meeting (Monday classes meet Tuesday Oct. 12)


Those important web addresses again

Main web page for PHIL 301: http://www.gmu.edu/courses/phil/ancient/pg3234.htm
Supplementary Readings page: http://www.gmu.edu/courses/phil/ancient/pg323sr.htm
Prof. Cherubin’s main ancient philosophy page: http://www.gmu.edu/courses/phil/ancient/index.htm

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Honor Code Statement


This course is conducted in accordance with the GMU Honor Code, as outlined in the University Catalog. The GMU Honor Code is as follows:
"To promote a stronger sense of mutual responsibility, respect, trust, and fairness among all members of the George Mason University community and with the desire for greater academic and personal achievement, we, the student members of the University Community have set forth this honor code: Student members of the George Mason University community pledge not to cheat, plagiarize, steal, or lie in matters related to academic work."
See also the online version of the most recent catalog; the University Honor Code policy is outlined at http://www.gmu.edu/catalog/apolicies/#Anchor12 .

Each student is to do his or her own work; collaboration on required written assignments (exams, papers, etc.) is not permitted.

All answers on exams and papers must be in the student’s own words.²  Short quotations from the class texts or from other sources may be used, provided that all quotations are properly attributed (you must cite the author’s name, the title of the source, and the page number or URL if any). If you do not know how to do this, please see your instructor and I will be glad to help you.

Further clarification: Earlier versions of the University Catalog provided good general accounts of what is meant by ‘plagiarism’ and ‘cheating’ here, and I will continue to use these for purposes of this course, as clarified below:
    Earlier versions of the University Catalog included under the heading ‘Plagiarism’ two kinds of thing. First is “[p]resenting as one’s own the words, the work, or the opinions of someone else without proper acknowledgment.”³  This means that if you quote from any source without giving proper credit to that source, what you have done counts as plagiarism, and will not be permitted. By ‘source,’ I mean printed material, electronic material (information from internet sites, e-mail, etc.), films, videotapes, audiotapes, radio, television, human beings other than yourself, or any other presenter of verbal information. By ‘proper credit’ I mean clear identification of the source of each quotation you have used, including the title of the source, the name of the author (where available), the URL if the source is a web site, the journal title if the source is a journal article, the date of publication (or of download from a web site), and the publisher if the source is a book. If you have any question as to whether what you are doing constitutes quotation from a source, or if you are unsure about how to quote a source or how to give proper credit, please see your instructor.

    The second kind of plagiarism outlined in the Catalog was “[b]orrowing the sequence of ideas, the arrangement of material, or the pattern of thought of someone else without proper acknowledgment.”  This means that if you take a passage from something you have read, and change a few of the words - without changing the meaning - and then claim that these ideas are yours (or simply fail to mention whose they are), that is also plagiarism, and is not permitted. There is nothing wrong with quoting (briefly) from sources; just acknowledge when you do it. If a source you find says exactly what you yourself think, show why you think it is correct. As long as you explain this in your own words, there is no problem. If you have any questions about what counts as “borrowing the sequence of ideas...,” please see your instructor, and I will be glad to help.

Both kinds of plagiarism are forbidden at GMU.

According to the earlier catalogs whose descriptions this class will follow, “cheating encompasses the following: (1) The willful giving or receiving of an unauthorized, unfair, dishonest, or unscrupulous advantage in academic work over other students.
        (2) The above may be accomplished by any means whatsoever, including, but not limited to, the following: fraud, duress, deception, theft, trick, talking, signs, gestures, copying from another student, and the unauthorized use of study aids, memoranda, books, data or other information.
         (3) Attempted Cheating.”

All such cheating and attempted cheating are forbidden at GMU. Since required assignments for this course specify that students are not to collaborate, any collaboration between students in the writing of required assignments will be considered to be a case of giving and receiving of “unauthorized and unfair advantage in academic work over other students.”

Again, if you have any questions about whether something you intend to do on a paper or exam is acceptable, please speak to your instructor before the assignment is due. I will be glad to help you -- really.

Penalties/Responses to Plagiarism and Cheating:     
A. On assignments other than the final exam or final assignment. If there is evidence that a student has collaborated with others, or evidence that a student as presented others’ words or sequences of ideas as his or her own, that student’s paper or exam will be invalidated, and the student will be required to do the paper or exam again in a satisfactory manner in order to receive credit. (In the case of mid-semester exams, the student may be given alternate exam questions.) No credit will be given until the work is re-submitted satisfactorily.

B. On the final exam or final assignment. If there is evidence that a student has collaborated with others or has presented others’ words or sequences of ideas as his or her own, the case will be reported to the Honor Committee. No credit will be given unless the case is resolved with a finding of “Not Guilty.”

Note. By ‘evidence’ I mean something in writing that clearly shows proof of plagiarism or illegitimate collaboration. For example, if two students submit identically-worded answers; if two students hand in assignments written in the same handwriting when they have previously had different handwritings (if you are injured and suddenly cannot write, let me know of this before making arrangements for another student to “help you”!); if a student submits a paper which I find to consist substantially of material copied from a book or web site without attribution and I can get hold of a copy of the book or can download pages from the web site -- all of these are cases where I would say that there is evidence of an Honor Code violation. If there is any question in my mind, I will speak to the student(s) involved before making the determination as to whether to take action. (back to Grading section)

Notes

1. What is a factual error in philosophy? I will say more about this during the semester. But here are some examples: If you say that Aristotle had blond hair, that would be a factual error (he was a redhead), but it would not be important enough for me to deduct points for it, unless you somehow tried to make a connection between Aristotle’s hair color and his philosophical ideas! I would lower your grade somewhat, however, if you said that Aristotle was a citizen of Athens under the democracy. He lived in Athens for many years, but was born in Macedon-controlled Stagira and was never made an Athenian citizen. This is very important because as we will see, Aristotle  was responding to philosophical, political, theological, and scientific issues of his time, place, and experience. Similarly, if you wrote that Aristotle said or believed that communal ownership of all property is a good thing, that would be a factual error; he says something quite different, and essentially contrary to that. If you wrote that Aristotle recommended that able-bodied women as well as men take part in athletic training; it is Socrates (as reported by Plato) who proposed this. I would deduct points for these kinds of factual errors, because they show a lack of understanding of Aristotle’s work.

2. Hint: Paper topics and exam questions will be such that you cannot answer correctly or sufficiently simply by copying sentences from the class texts or other sources. You will need to be able to show that you have understood what you have read. (In general, I ask that quotations make up no more than 20% of your answer to each numbered exam question and no more than 20% of the total length of your  papers; this gives you space to answer the questions adequately and to discuss your quotations.)

3. This and all quotations in this Honor Code Statement are taken from the 2003-2004 GMU Catalog, p. 29.