Political Science 503:
Origins of Conservative
Political Thought
Jeffrey Dixon
Office: Founder’s Hall 217A
Email: JeffreyDixon@tamuct.edu
Phone: (254) 501-5871 (email preferred)
Office Hours: 3 PM – 6 PM Tuesdays
Spring 2015 – Section 110
Time: Mondays – 2 PM to 4:45 PM
Room: Founder’s Hall 203
Blackboard: http://tamuct.blackboard.com
Catalog Description
This course covers the philosophical origins of conservative political thought, focusing on its traditional, statist,
and libertarian variants.
Course Overview
This course focuses on conservative political philosophy as a predecessor of -- and response to -- liberal and
radical views of politics. Traditionalist conservatism seeks to preserve the accumulated wisdom of the past by
resisting radical departures from it. Statist conservatism might be described as a “law and order” conservatism,
which prioritizes security (and thus authority) over some liberties in order to protect more important liberties.
Libertarian conservatism holds that individual property rights are the foundation of genuine human rights, and
must never be violated. Finally, neo-conservatism emphasizes the guiding role of the state in both the
preservation of liberty and the construction of strong national and cultural identities. This course examines the
merits and weaknesses of each approach.
As a general rule, most of your out-of-class time devoted to this course should be spent reading the material
and taking notes or writing questions about what you read. Philosophy isn’t casual reading material; you
actually have to be engaged and careful as you work your way through the texts. A good set of notes on the
readings, annotated with page numbers, is incredibly useful for essays and exams.
Course Objectives
The core objective of this course is for students to think critically about the construction of conservative political
thought and its application to liberal and radical arguments. The key questions that it prepares students to
answer include:
A. What are the fundamental precepts of conservative political thought?
B. Does conservative political thought offer a persuasive alternative to liberalism and radicalism?
C. How far do rightful freedom and legitimate authority extend?
D. What institutions of governance and participation are best?
A secondary objective common to all political science courses is the development of critical thinking skills. In
this course, argument dissection, evaluation, and construction are the core skills emphasized. The basic tools
used are:
 A basic model of a valid argument as consisting of a claim, accompanied by evidence, which supports the
claim via a warrant
 The distinction between normative and empirical claims and the evidence required for each
PLSK 503 Spring 2015 1

Awareness of other basic concepts in logic, such the distinction between necessary and sufficient
conditions
Learning Outcomes
Learning Outcome 1: By the end of the course, students should be able to compare prominent theorists’
answers to A through D (both as general statements and as concrete solutions to hypothetical or historical
choices) and defend one answer for each as better than the alternatives, using evidence and arguments from
and about the course readings.
1.1 -1.4 Able to identify the answers of assigned authors to A, B, C, and D, respectively.
1.5-1.8 Able to apply each assigned author’s answer to a concrete situation posing A, B, C, or D, respectively.
1.9 Able to draw on evidence and arguments throughout the course to demonstrate one of these answers to be
better-supported than others.
Learning Outcome 2: By the end of the course, students should demonstrate significant improvement in critical
thinking skills related to argument analysis in the realm of political thought. They should be able to distinguish
between:
2.1. Unsupported assumptions/claims and arguments supported by valid warrants and valid evidence.
2.2. Statements dependent on empirical evidence and statements based on normative reasoning.
2.3 Conservatism as a political philosophy and conservatism as a political ideology.
Required Readings
The following books are required. All should be available for purchase at the Warrior bookstore. If you
purchase books elsewhere, be sure to get the proper edition and translation of each. If you purchase
electronic copies, be sure that the page numbers match up or you may find yourself struggling to find
the paragraphs we are discussing in class.
Thomas Hobbes. 1996. Leviathan: Revised Student Edition. Cambridge University Press. ISBN: 0521567971
John Locke. 1980. Second Treatise of Government. Hackett Publishing Company. ISBN: 0915144867
John Stuart Mill. 2008. On Liberty and Other Essays. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19953-573-6
Plato. 2004. The Republic. Transl. C.D.C. Reeve. Hackett Publishing Company ISBN: 0872207366
John Rawls. 1999. A Theory of Justice. Revised Ed. Belknap Press. 0-674-00078-1
Jean-Jacques Rousseau. 1968. The Social Contract. Transl. Maurice Cranston. Penguin. ISBN: 0140442014
The following required books need not be purchased unless you want your own paper copy, as the library has
electronic copies or physical reserve copies.
Edmund Burke. 2003. Reflections on the Revolution in France. Yale University Press. ISBN-13: 9780300099799
Robert Nozick. 1977. Anarchy, State, and Utopia. Basic Books. ISBN 0-46509-720-0
Other required readings on the schedule are marked with (BB) and are available on Blackboard.
Recommended Readings and Commentaries
Most recommended readings consist of book chapters or articles which are relevant to the readings, but do not
necessarily describe them. Commentaries are works about the readings. The following books are on reserve at
the library, available for three-day checkout. Please limit yourself to one volume at a time. While I don’t expect
most students to do this extra reading, those who have the time will find a great deal of insight and some really
good discussion questions in these materials. Remember that each author has a different interpretation of the
PLSK 503 Spring 2015 2
source material – one which often clashes with the views of other scholars. So read these as arguments rather
than as “facts.”
Christopher Bertram. 2004. Routledge Philosophy Guidebook to Rousseau and the Social Contract. Routledge.
R.E.R. Bunce. 2009. Thomas Hobbes. Continuum.
Michael Davis. 1996. The Politics of Philosophy: A Commentary on Aristotle’s Politics. Rowman & Littlefield.
Kenneth Dorter. 2006. The Transformation of Plato’s Republic. Lexington Books.
Katrin Flikschuh. 2007. Freedom: Contemporary Liberal Perspectives. Polity Press.
Samuel Richard Freeman. 2007. Rawls. Routledge.
Jon Mandle. 2009. Rawls's A Theory of Justice : An Introduction. Cambridge University Press.
Glenn Newey. 2008. Routledge Philosophy Guidebookto Hobbes and Leviathan. Routledge.
Mary P. Nichols. 1992. Citizens and Statesmen: A Study of Aristotle’s Politics. Rowman & Littlefield.
Nickolas Pappas. 2003. Routledge Philosophy Guidebook to Plato and the Republic. 2nd Ed. Routledge.
Jonathan Riley. 1998. Mill On Liberty. Routledge.
Sean Sayers. 1999. Plato’s Republic: An Introduction. Edinburgh University Press.
John Skorupski. 1998. The Cambridge companion to Mill. Cambridge University Press.
John Skorupski. 2006. Why Read Mill Today? Routledge.
Perez Zagoria. 2009. Hobbes and the Law of Nature. Princeton University Press.
Grading (90/80/70/60, rounded to the nearest percentile)
Academic Integrity Exercise: This consists of watching a brief lecture, taking a quiz, seeing where any mistakes on
the quiz came from, and signing a statement. Once you successfully complete this exercise, you will no longer
need to do so in future political science courses.
***Completing the Academic Integrity Exercise is a prerequisite to passing
this course. It must be completed by February 2.***
o
Rubric: You will automatically fail the course if you have not completed the Academic Integrity
exercise on or before February 2.
Essays (40%). There are two required essays, worth equal credit. Each should be a minimum of 10 doublespaced pages with page numbers, a proportional font (11-point Times New Roman or Calibri, for example), intext APSA-style citations, and a works cited page in APSA format. Title pages are optional. Papers require a
clear thesis statement on the first page of the text, followed by arguments that evaluate the thesis, examining
evidence both for the thesis and evidence that challenges the thesis. Direct quotes should be no more than ten
percent of the essay. A link to APSA formatting is available on Blackboard or the Library’s website.
o Essay 1 (due March 2): There are four major tasks to accomplish in this essay.
 Task 1: Answer the deceptively simple question: What is conservatism? That is, is there a
common set of principles on which all conservatives agree (and if so, what are they), or are
there different varieties of conservatism (in which case, what are they)?
 Tasks 2-4: Apply your conception of conservatism to Plato, Aristotle, and Hobbes in turn. To
what extent does each represent conservative political thought, as you have defined it?
o Essay 2 (due May 4): This essay has four primary tasks.
 Task 1: Describe and interpret Burkean conservatism. Some have suggested that Burke
essentially wished to purge notions of grand theory and metaphysics from politics, in favor
of viewing the political as highly contingent on circumstances, requiring practical skill and
human judgment. In this view, Burke was essentially anti-Enlightenment, skeptical of
abstract claims of reason and natural rights. His basis for rejecting these claims is largely
PLSK 503 Spring 2015 3
o
utilitarian – they do not produce the results their authors intend. An alternative
interpretation argues that Burke was in fact motivated by a concept of natural law that
predated the Enlightenment, one derived from classical political thought as interpreted by
major Christian thinkers. In this view, Burke was no utilitarian, but was motivated by a
morality based upon laws of God and nature. Render an informed judgment about which
interpretation is better. Support this judgment with evidence drawn from Burke’s political
thought or actions.
 Task 2: Define, describe and evaluate the libertarian conservative tradition (Locke, Nozick,
and and Feser). This obviously requires you to defend an interpretation of Locke and
Nozick.
 Task 3: Examine the extent to which Burkean conservatism can coexist with libertarian
conservatism. What points do they share, and where do differences emerge? Is there an
underlying, coherent conservatism that can bring both free-market libertarians and Burkean
conservatives together?
 Task 4: What are the great unanswered questions in conservative political philosophy? Give
a short background of what we think we know about each question and explain why it
remains unanswered despite the best efforts of the theorists you read. Presumably, some
of these questions will emerge from trying to accomplish Task 3, but you may also wish to
draw unanswered questions from your first paper as well.
Grading will be based on both the quality of the writing (which includes spelling and grammar, but
also structure) and the degree to which each task is accomplished with all relevant evidence drawn
from the readings.
Exams (40%). There will be two essay exams, each worth an equal number of points.
 Each essay exam will consist of two questions, each of which is worth equal credit. Grading is primarily
based upon your demonstrated knowledge of the material and ability to apply it to a new situation,
rather than spelling/grammar issues.
 The exams are both open-notes and open-book. You are free to use class handouts, any notes you have
taken on any of the course materials, and all of the required readings. You are not permitted to use
other resources (such as online material or the recommended readings/commentaries themselves)
during the exam.
 Content: Each exam will focus on three authors. Exam I focuses on Plato, Aristotle, and Hobbes. Exam II
focuses on Rousseau, Mill, and Rawls.
o The first question on each exam will address two authors. It will ask you to compare their
answers to questions C or D listed on p. 1 of the syllabus.
o The second question will ask you to apply the remaining author to a hypothetical or historical
situation that pits freedom against authority.
 It is generally best to write an outline first, then write your answer. For each major point on your
outline, you should have support (perhaps an example from the text or even a short quotation).
 Exam grading rubric. Grading is primarily based upon your demonstrated knowledge of the material and
ability to apply it to a new situation, rather than spelling/grammar issues. Having said this, atrocious
grammar can make it impossible for the reader to understand your argument.
PLSK 503 Spring 2015 4
PLSK 503 Exam Grading Rubric
Grade Thesis and
Textual Support
Structure
A
Answers the
Each element of the argument is supported by textual evidence drawn
question and
from throughout the course (primarily specific references
drives the rest of
accompanying your interpretation of the referenced material, rather
the essay
than direct quotes). No major source of evidence is ignored – counterarguments are addressed and defeated.
B
Answers the
Each element of the argument is supported by textual evidence from
question, but
the course, but major sources of evidence (such as countersome of the paper arguments) are ignored. OR The evidence used is insufficient to
ignores it
support one or more of the claims in the paper. OR Much of the
support consists of direct quotes without interpretation.
C
Does not match up The evidence, when taken as a whole, fails to support the paper’s
with every
thesis or to draw out the most important similarities and differences
element of the
between the authors, with necessary steps in the argument being
question, or the
assumed instead of demonstrated. Much relevant evidence is omitted
essay is a set of
and irrelevant evidence may be present. Textual references lack
arguments that
specificity. Counter-arguments are ignored.
proceed without
logical order
D
Does not match up At least one major element of the essay’s argument has substantial
with most
evidence from the course that supports it. However, textual
elements of the
references are generally vague or irrelevant.
question; the
essay is little more
than a “data
dump”
F
The essay is devoid Little if any evidence from the course is used in the answer. It fails to
of structure
demonstrate a grasp of what the author said, much less to interpret or
critique that argument.
Participation and Attendance (20%). One fifth of your grade is determined by your in-class participation. While
there may be structured exercises from time to time, the bulk of the participation grade is determined by
whether and to what extent you discuss the assigned readings for the day, particularly the ones also assigned to
PLSK 441, indicated by an asterisk on the course schedule. I am looking for comments and questions that clarify,
question, or challenge the theories offered by the authors. Feel free to challenge my statements as well!
 Daily grades:
o You will receive 40% credit for attending a class and doing little else.
o You will receive 80% credit for attending and making several reasonable comments.
o You will receive 120% credit for attending and making a particularly insightful observation and
several reasonable comments.
o If you are late for class without providing me with a legitimate excuse that session, participation
credit will be deducted in proportion to your lateness (10% for each 17 minutes), rounding up to
the next 10%. The same applies to leaving early.
PLSK 503 Spring 2015 5
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
Overall grade:
o You are expected to average 100% per class period, except for the first day and exam days.
o Note that the maximum participation grade is actually 120%, a modest extra-credit opportunity.
Tip: If you have trouble thinking of things to say in class (a common problem for shy students), write
down discussion questions or objections while you are reading the material at home (see Notes below).
Then you don’t have to worry about “blanking” in class because you can simply read off a question from
your notes.
Overall Course Rubric
Item
Exam 1
Exam 2
Essays
Points
600 Points (300 for each question)
600 Points (300 for each question)
600 Points (50 per session in which
participation is possible)
1200 Points (600 Points each)
Academic Integrity Exercise
* No points but required to pass the course
TOTAL POSSIBLE
3000 Points
Participation
2685+ = A
2385-2684 = B
2085-2384 = C
1785-2084 = D
Percent of Grade
20%
40%
20%
20%
40%
0%*
100%
1784 or lower = F
Make-up and Late Work
No late work will be accepted without an excused absence. As for participation, students must inform the
instructor prior to an absence. Send me an email stating the dates(s) you will be missing and the reason(s). You
should also hand me a written note with this information in class. (Protect yourself! Don’t rely on my memory –
hand me something written that I can keep in my files). If all else fails, you or a friend may call my office and
speak to me or my voicemail. There are very few situations in life that preclude making a phone call or having a
friend do so; failure to contact the instructor prior to class will normally rule out any sort of make-up. Make-up
exams differ from the original and are offered at the instructor’s convenience.
Academic Integrity
University Code of Academic Honesty: Texas A&M University - Central Texas expects all students to maintain
high standards of personal and scholarly conduct. Students guilty of academic dishonesty are subject to
disciplinary action. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on an examination or other
academic work, plagiarism, collusion, and the abuse of resource materials. The faculty member is responsible for
initiating action for each case of academic dishonesty. More information can be found at
www.tamuct.edu/StudentConduct
Specific guidelines for this course, which supplement and do not replace University policy:
 Violations: There are plenty of ways to cheat, all of which are listed by the Student Handbook. Some
common violations of academic integrity that I have observed while teaching this class at TAMUCT are
o Most Common Violation: Plagiarism, which comes in two forms:
 Use of direct quotes without quotation marks. Even if you are just using three- or four-word
phrases, you need to surround them with quotation marks if you didn’t create them
yourself. This is true even if you cite the source! Remember that changing a few words in a
sentence does not transform a direct quote into a paraphrase; instead, it transforms one
PLSK 503 Spring 2015 6

long direct quote into several shorter direct quotes with a word of your own between each.
A true paraphrase is the expression of the cited source’s ideas in your own words.
 Paraphrasing another person’s words without citing the source
o Second Most common violation: Receiving answers on any coursework from anyone other than the
instructor. If you hand your work to someone else and they proceed to copy part or all of it, both of
you will be deemed to have violated the policy.
o Other Violations:
 Using prohibited resources on exams. You are permitted to use your personally-prepared
notes on any class readings, class handouts, the exam itself, and the required readings for
the course. That is all. No online resources are to be used.
Penalties:
o The normal penalty for a violation of academic integrity (whether or not it is specifically listed
above) in any of my classes is a grade of zero for the work or a deduction of 20% (two letter grades)
from your course grade, whichever is greater. The infraction will be reported to the TAMUCT
administration, with a recommendation for probation in the case of deliberate violation or no
further action in the case of clearly inadvertent violation.
o The (a) outright purchase, download, or completion by others of an exam or essay, or (b) second or
subsequent violation of academic integrity (in this course or other courses) display such serious
disregard for academic integrity that either one of them will result in course failure and
recommendation for expulsion to the TAMUCT administration.
Drop Policy
If you discover that you need to drop this class, you must go to the Records Office and ask for the necessary
paperwork. Professors cannot drop students; this is always the responsibility of the student. The records office
will give a deadline for which the form must be returned, completed, and signed. Once you return the signed
form to the records office and wait 24 hours, you must go into WarriorWeb and confirm that you are no longer
enrolled. If you are still enrolled, follow up with the records office immediately. You are to attend class until the
procedure is complete to avoid penalty for absence. Should you miss the deadline or fail to follow the
procedure, you will receive an F in the course.
Student Resources
 UNILERT (Emergency Warning System for Texas A&M University – Central Texas): UNILERT is an
emergency notification service that gives Texas A&M University-Central Texas the ability to
communicate health and safety emergency information quickly via email and text message. By enrolling
in UNILERT, university officials can quickly pass on safety-related information, regardless of your
location. Please enroll today at http://www.tamuct.edu/departments/news/unilert.php
 Library Services: Information Literacy focuses on research skills that prepare individuals to live and work
in an information-centered society. Librarians will work with students in the development of critical
reasoning, ethical use of information, and the appropriate use of secondary research techniques. These
techniques include: exploring information resources such as library collections and services; identifying
sources such as subject databases and scholarly journals; executing effective search strategies;
retrieving, recording and citing relevant results correctly; and interpreting search results and deciding
whether to expand the search. Library Resources are outlined and accessed through the web page:
http://www.tamuct.edu/departments/library/index.php
 Disability Support and Access: If you have or believe you have a disability and wish to self-identify, you
can do so by providing documentation to the Disability Support Coordinator. Students are encouraged
to seek information about accommodations to help assure success in their courses. Please call (254)
PLSK 503 Spring 2015 7
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
501-5831 or visit Founder's Hall 114. Additional information can be found at
http://www.tamuct.edu/departments/disabilitysupport/index.php
Tutoring: Tutoring is available to all TAMUCT students, both on-campus and online. Subjects tutored
include Accounting, Finance, Statistics, Mathematics, and Writing. Tutors are available at the Tutoring
Center in Warrior Hall, Room 111. Visit www.ct.tamus.edu/AcademicSupport and click "Tutoring
Support" for tutor schedules and contact info. If you have questions, need to schedule a tutoring
session, or if you're interested in becoming a tutor, contact Academic Support Programs at 254-5015830 or by emailing tutoring@ct.tamus.edu
o Chat live with a tutor 24/7 for almost any subject on your computer! Tutor.com is an online
tutoring platform that enables TAMU-CT students to log-in and receive FREE online tutoring and
writing support. This tool provides tutoring in Mathematics, Writing, Career Writing, Chemistry,
Physics, Biology, Spanish, Calculus, and Statistics. To access Tutor.com, log into your Blackboard
account and click "Online Tutoring.".
WARRIOR Link: This online job database connects employers with students by posting internships, parttime, and full-time jobs. All students will receive an email with their username and password the first
week of school with access information. WARRIOR Link allows students the opportunity to search for a
job, post a resume, and remain informed on any career services events for up to one year after
graduation. Access Warrior Link by using the link at
http://www.tamuct.edu/departments/careerservices/index.php
Amendments
Not all exigencies can be foreseen. I reserve the right to amend the syllabus at any time.
PLSK 503 Spring 2015 8
Course Schedule – Check Blackboard for updates
Date
Jan 26
Feb 2
Feb 9
Feb 16
Feb 23
Mar 2
Mar 9
Unit and Topic
Readings -- Italicized ones are optional. Ones with a * are the ones
we’ll spend most of our class time on, as they are also assigned for 441.
Introduction
None
The Ideal Polis and
Required:
the Noble Lie
* Plato, The Republic: Books II, III, IV, V
Ramsey, “Plato and the Modern American ‘Right’” (BB)
Reminder:
Recommended: Plato, The Republic: Book I
Academic Integrity
Commentaries:
Exercise Due
Sayers, Chapters 3-9
Dorter, Chapters 2-5
Pappas, Chapters 4-6
Virtue, Classicism,
Required:
and the Polis
* Plato, The Republic: Books VI, VII (through 521b), VIII
Kirk, “Ten Conservative Principles” (link on BB)
Kraynak, “Conservative Critics of Modernity” (BB)
Recommended: Plato, The Republic: Rest of Book VII, Book IX
Commentaries:
Sayers, Chapters 10-12
Dorter, Chapters 6, 8
Pappas, Chapters 7-8
The Development of Required:
Traditionalist
* Aristotle, Excerpts from the Politics for PLSK 503 (BB)
Conservatism
Kirk, “Conservatism: A Succinct Description” (BB)
Kekes, “What is Conservatism?” (BB)
Commentaries:
Davis, Chapters 1, 3, 4
Nichols, Chapter 2
Statism I: State of
Required:
Nature Theory
* Hobbes, Leviathan: Chapters 10-16
Anhart, Darwinian Conservatism, “Introduction” (BB)
Recommended: Skim Chapters 1-9 to see Hobbes’s view of science and
how it applies to human behavior.
Commentaries:
Newey, Chapter 4
Zagorin, Chapters 2-3
Bunce, Chapter 2 (pp. 17-41)
Statism II: A
Required: * Hobbes, Leviathan: Chapters 17-19, 21, 26-30 and
Contract for Security Conclusion (pp. 483-491)
Recommended: Tuck’s Introduction (pp. ix-xlv, at the front of the book)
Due: Essay 1
to understand the new arguments introduced in the Conclusion
Commentaries:
Newey, Chapters 5-8
Zagorin, Chapters 3-4
Bunce, Chapter 2 (pp. 41-67)
Exam I
Review Plato, Aristotle, and Hobbes
PLSK 503 Spring 2015 9
Date
Mar 23
Unit and Topic
Contractarian and
Libertarian States:
Origins
Mar 30
Radical Social
Change I: Freedoms
April 6
Radical Social
Change II:
Governing the
Community
April 13
Modern Liberalism I:
The Harm Principle
Readings (Italicized ones are optional)
Required:
* Locke, Excerpts from the First Treatise on Government (BB)
* Locke, Second Treatise on Government
Nozick, Anarchy, State and Utopia, Preface and Chapters 1-5
(Links on BB)
Recommended: The Introduction in our edition of Locke
Commentaries:
Thomas, Chapters 2-4
Kelly, Chapter 3
Required:
* Rousseau, The Social Contract: Book 1, Book 2 (Chapters 1-5)
Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France, pp. 9-53, 66-70,
73-86, 104-108 (Yale University Press Edition) or pp. 92-154,
171-177, 181-199, 227-231 (Penguin Classics Edition)
Recommended:
Read all of Burke to p. 108 (Yale University Press) or 231
(Penguin Classics), including the introduction.
Bertram, Chapter 2
Commentaries:
Gildin, Chapter 2 (BB)
Bertram, Chapters 3-6
Required:
* Rousseau, The Social Contract: Books 2 (Chapters 6- 12), 3
(Chapters 1, 3-7, 10-14, 18 only), 4 (Chapters 1, 7-8 only)
Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France, 117-120, 127129, 139-145, 154-158, 185-191, 208-210 (Yale University Press
Edition) or pp. 245-249, 258-261, 275-284, 296-302, 340-350,
373-377 (Penguin Classics Edition).
Burke, “A Letter to a Member of the National Assembly” (BB)
Recommended: Bertram, Chapter 10
Commentaries:
Gildin, Chapters 3-6 (BB)
Bertram, Chapters 7-9
Required:
* Mill, On Liberty, Chapters I-II
* Mill, Excerpts from “Civilization” and “Non-Intervention” (BB)
O’Brien, “Edmund Burke: Prophet Against the Tyranny of the
Politics of Theory” in Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in
France (BB)
Recommended: Mill, Utilitarianism: Chapters 2 and 5
Commentaries:
Riley, Chapters 2-3
Skorupski (2006), Chapter 3
PLSK 503 Spring 2015 10
Date
April 20
Unit and Topic
Modern Liberalism
II: Apparent
Paradoxes
April 27
Modern Liberalism
III: “Justice as
Fairness” and its
Critics
May 4
Modern Liberalism
IV: Refinements
Due: Essay 2
May 11
Exam II
Readings (Italicized ones are optional)
Required:
* Mill, On Liberty, Chapters III-V
Rakove, “Why American Constitutionalism Worked” in Burke,
Reflections on the Revolution in France (BB)
Recommended: Skorupski (1998): Chapters 13-14
Commentary: Riley, Chapters 4-6
Required:
* Rawls, A Theory of Justice: Sections 1-4, 8-17, 24, 26
Nozick, Anarchy, State and Utopia, Chapter 7 (BB)
Recommended: Nozick, Anarchy, State and Utopia, Chapter 8
Commentaries:
Mandle, Chapter 1
Freeman, Chapters 2-4
Required:
* Rawls, A Theory of Justice : Sections 31-32, 36-38, 42-43, 46
(pp. 266-267 only), 54, 69-72, 77
Rawls, “Justice as Fairness: Political Not Metaphysical” (BB)
Feser, “What Libertarianism Isn’t” (BB)
Recommended:
Mandle, Chapters 4-5
Nozick, Anarchy, State and Utopia, Chapter 10
Commentaries:
Mandle, Chapters 2-3
Freeman, Chapter 5
Review Rousseau, Mill, and Rawls
PLSK 503 Spring 2015 11