FALL 2012 – Political Theory/Philosophy – Philosophy 130
Section#4160 - 9:35 am to 11:00 am - Tuesdays & Thursdays MFND 176 – East
Lecture (3 units). Transfer: CSU, UC. General Education: (CSU-GE: D8)(IGETC: 4)
Instructor: Bill Anelli, M.A., Philosophy Course website: www.philosopherbill.com (or http://anellib.faculty.mjc.edu/index.html)
Email: anellib@mjc.edu Office Phone: 209/575-6152 Office Location: 120K, Founders Hall, East Campus
Student Hours – Mondays: 5:00-6:00pm; Wednesdays: 10am to Noon; Tuesdays & Thursdays: 11am-Noon; Or email
me for an appt! (be sure to email me THREE different times that work for you).
Required Texts:
1) Will Kymlicka, Contemporary Political Philosophy: An Introduction – ISBN: 978-0198782742, Oxford
University, Edition: 2nd, 2001
2) Michael Rosen and Jonathan Wolff (eds), Political Thought – ISBN: 978-0192892782, Oxford University, 1999
3) Web/Computer: you will need internet access to obtain course assignments and to submit your assignments to me
via http://www.turnitin.com .
Recommended (order online):
1) Philosopher’s Toolkit by Julian Baggini, ISBN: 9781405190183
2) William Domhoff, Who Rules America? Challenges to Corporate and Class Dominance - ISBN: 9780078111563, McGraw-Hill, 6th edition, July 16, 2009.
3) Hugu Bedau, Thinking and Writing About Philosophy, ISBN: 978-0312-3965-34, St. Martins ($23/$18)
4) Rationale diagramming software by Austhink.com (http://rationale.austhink.com- $69 or free as a readerl) Or
you can have fun with this FREE mind-mapping tool: http://www.xmind.net/
Course Overview/Goals: In this course we will focus on fundamental issues and topics of moral and political philosophy
as they have developed over the past 2,300 years in Greece, Europe, and the United States. While we will cover The
course will address three interrelated questions: 1) Despite seemingly intractable differences amongst different political
frameworks, do all political views share the SAME foundational principles? 2) What are the best arguments for and
against competing political frameworks and foundational values? 3) How have political notions of human nature, freedom,
rights, justice, citizenship, and obligations developed historically? Which conceptions hold up best?
We will examine these questions by focusing on two texts: Will Kymlicka’s Contemporary Political Philosophy and
Jonathan Wolff’s Political Thought. Kymlicka’s text paraphrases work done in political philosophy from 1980 to 2002 –
specifically, utilitarianism, liberal egalitarianism, libertarianism, Marxism, communitarianism, citizenship theory,
multiculturalism, and feminism. This text is not an easy read – he provides detailed paraphrases of fairly sophisticated
arguments and then critiques the arguments he has just presented. Wolff’s text is more of a traditional anthology that
includes a series of very short primary readings from the classical to the postmodern periods. During the semester we will
be reading both texts side by side – Kymlicka’s for the contemporary treatment of political issues and the Wolff text for
the traditional canonical readings. General perspectives to be covered include: 1) Indigenous, non-western voices (only
very briefly); 2) Classical era of Greece and Rome (Plato, Aristotle); 3) Liberal individualism spun out of the European
enlightenment; and 4) 19th-20th century critiques and responses to liberal individualism.
The primary objective in this course is for you to clarify your position and views regarding these questions and for you to
discover which philosophers/philosophies most conform to your views and life experiences.
Student Learning Objectives: Upon successful completion of this course, the student will: 1. Explain and evaluate
different theoretical orientations to politics; 2. Compare different political issues in terms of different theoretical
orientations; 3. Construct and evaluate arguments in support of, and in opposition to, different theoretical orientations in
politics; 4. Construct and evaluate arguments in support of, and in opposition to, different political issues; 5. Describe the
historical context and development of different political theoretical orientations.
Course Requirements/Grade:
5% - Ethics Lab/Mini-Paper
20% - Midterm exam (selected from reading questions)
15% - Annotations
20% - Draft 1 & 2 of Philosophy Position paper
20% - Final Version of Philosophy Position paper
20% - Final Exam (selected from reading questions)
100%
Extra Credit - up to 5% of course grade: “event EC”
and philo EC towards the end of the semester
Grading Scale:
A = 90 to 100%
B = 80 to 89%
C = 70 to 79%s
D = 60 to 69%
F = 59% or below
5% - Ethics-Politics Lab – TBD – The ethics-politics lab will be conducted during the class period – you must attend the
class period in order to qualify to receive credit for your ethics lab participation. A more difficult writing assignment
will be given for those with a legitimate excuse for missing the lab.
20% - MIDTERM – Midterm examination will be based directly on reading questions that will be handed out in class.
You must come to class to pick up the reading questions or come to office hours to pick them up if you missed class. I will
not email reading questions. Midterm questions will be taken directly from the reading questions. You will need to
bring an “essay” scantron – 886-E.
15% - Annotation/Journal-textnotes – you will elect to either annotate the texts (ie, take reading notes in your books)
or keep a handwritten journal or xmind/rationale argument map on the readings. Your choice. About mid-way through
the semester I will post sign-up sheets on my door (7thh-10th week). You will then come to your appt. within the threefour week sign-up period and bring your annotated primary texts and/or journal. We will then decide on a grade. If
you do not come for your appointment (or fail to make an appointment), you will have the option of a challenging 7-8
page philosophy paper (comparison of two or more arguments closely based on the texts used in class) in addition to
the other three papers.
40% - Draft 1, Draft 2, and Final Version of Philosophy Question Paper – Drafts are 2 to 3 pages; Final Version
will be 5 to 6 pages – During the first part of the course you will identify an important political theory position that is
important to you and that you care about. You will then describe the position and defend it with a detailed argument
and also address important counter-arguments to your position. You will relate your position and arguments to
discussions in the Kymlicka text as well as selections from the Wolff text. You will receive feedback on your paper from
your instructor and your peers and you will be expected to improve your paper in light of feedback that you receive.
You will be graded on the clarity of your writing, on your ability to clearly articulate arguments in support of and
against your position, whether you incorporate feedback into your successive versions, and finally if you sufficiently
relate your paper to philosophers that we are discussing in the class. Due dates will be staggered. 10% DOCK FOR LATE
PAPERS. PAPERS ONLY ACCEPTED via TURN-IT-IN
20% - Final Exam – Final exam will cover reading questions from the second half of the course and it may include a
take-home component due at the final exam.
Borderline grades (ie, within 1.5% points) at the end of the course: I will consider raising borderline grades to the next
higher grade if your end of term work (final paper, final exam) is clearly within the higher grade range.
Class Policies
*** Turn-it-in: You will be submitting SOME of your papers via http://www.turnitin.com The CLASS ID is: 5431234.
The class name is 130-PHIL-4160. Password is the section #: 4160 .
Plagiarism: If you plagiarize work in this class you will receive a zero for that assignment and perhaps an F in the class
at my discretion. I may also report the infraction to the vice president of instruction at Modesto Junior College
Cell Phones & Laptops: unless the phone call is from me, I ask you to turn off your cell phones before entering class. Do
not text message, check text messages, watch movies, listen to music, etc while in class. It’s rude to me, it’s rude to others,
and it’s obvious to everyone around you, including me. No laptop use while in class unless you speak with me first.
Eating - you may eat in class if your food intake is minimal. Please do not bring noisy, unhealthy food to class. Noisy
food usually is food that can only be accessed by opening noisy and wasteful plastic packaging. Unhealthy food is
food that is highly processed and composed primarily of corn syrup, lard, and salt. For some strange reason most of the
food that is noisy is also unhealthy. While we are on the subject of food I strongly recommend that you do your best to
eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, get regular exercise (join the Modesto Swim Masters club and swim with your
instructor!), and get at least seven hours of sleep each week night - and avoid major relationship and car-transportation
drama. I know that this is not always possible but if you can do this, it will make your academic experience easier and
more fun. 
Office Hours – If you are having difficulties in the course, come speak with me as soon as possible! If you cannot make
the office hour times, EMAIL me THREE times that work for you (preferably on Friday).
Attendance – I reserve the right to drop you if you miss 3 or more classes.
Email – Please follow the following guidelines when using email to communicate with me during the course:

SUBJECT LINE: include your last name, course # and section # in your subject line. For example:
“Hernandez, 105-2331” BODY: Include your FULL NAME in the body of the email along with your message.
Be clear and concise, use proper grammar and spelling – this will improve your chances of getting a prompt
response from me.DON’T EMAIL IF… you can ask your question in person at the next class meeting. Like most
working people, instructors receive an enormous amount of email. If you can ask your question at the beginning
of the next class, it will take me less time to answer and other students might benefit from hearing your question
asked and answered.
Student Support
Disability Services: If you think you have a learning or other type of disability please make an appointment with
Disabilities Services in Journalism Bldg #152 on the East campus or call 209-575-6296. I will work with you!
“There are some charlatans who admit no doubts...it is surely very presumptuous to define God, the angels, spirits, and
to pretend to know precisely why God made the world, when we do not know why we can move our arms at our
pleasure. Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is an absurd one.” –Voltaire
TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE – PHILOSOPHY 130 –TOPIC/ASSIGNMENT DATES MAY VARY!
Wk
Will Kymlicka Readings
Political Thought
Historical Era
Assignments
1
None
INTRO, SURVEY
P. 10, 34-37; 78-80;
91-95
2
Introduction
224-226;
Classical Era
Handout
State of Nature: 11-33 – Ancient
Greece &
Rome
3
Social Contract: 52-70
ETHICS LAB? – TBD
Demo Ideals: 96-102;
Liberty: 119-136
4
Chapter 1: UTILITARIANISM
Rights: 172-180
– pages…/ Chapter 2?
Private Property: 187213
5
Chapter 2: LIBERAL
Distributive Justice:
EQUALITY
224-255
DRAFT 1 DUE?
Enlightenment
6
Chapter 2: LIBERAL
/ Modern
EQUALITY / Chapter 3?
Liberal Theory
7
Chapter 3: LIBERTARIANISM
The market: 214-223
Annotations?
8
Chapter 3: LIBERTARIANISM
/ Chapter 4?
9
Chapter 4: MARXISM
Annotations?
Alternatives: 319-325;
Socialism: 345-358
Annotations?
MIDTERM?
10
Chapter 4: MARXISM;
chapter 5?
Annotations?
11
Chapter 5:
COMMUNITARIANISM;
chapter 6?
Conservatism: 326-334
Communitarianism: 335344
12
Chapter 6: CITIZENSHIP
THEORY/ open?
13
Citizenship Theory / Chapter
7: MULTICULTURALISM
Virtue and Citizenship:
155-171; Nationalism:
267-284
Justice between groups:
285-318
14
Chapter 8: FEMINISM
15
OPEN/REVIEW
Late 20th
Century
Alternatives
to Liberal
Theory
DRAFT 2 DUE?
Critiques of
both modern
liberal and
alternatives
FINAL PAPER DUE
Postmodern?
FINAL EXAM: TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11th 10 am to 12:50 pm – MFND 176