1. Introduction: What is Political Philosophy? by YaleCourses
Political Philosophy
The above YouTube video provides an introduction to political philosophy.
Our discussion in class will be based mainly on chapter 4, The Philosophy of Politics and Power, of the book 'Philosophy for Busy People: Everything You Really Should Know' by Alain Stephen. Please see the file via the link below:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/16Clo8yLxVRk6DRQKhv7Eq6wPQMkFWyYh/view?usp=sharingPhilosophy of Power
Chapter 2.5: Michel Foucault, Power by Leiden University - Faculty of Humanities
The above YouTube video gives an introduction to the Philosophy of Power.
Chapter 4 from the above book discusses Foucault on Power and Knowledge. I plan to discuss that in class as well.
Some Questions
Plato's Republic
- Plato/Socrates outlines a three part hierarchical structure of the human soul, which they believe is immortal. The soul, as believed by Plato/Socrates, is equivalent to what we now consider to be the mind. Do you think that the tripartite soul is an accurate depiction of the human mind?
- Should the choice of a political system be based on an assumed best way of managing the human mind, which is a biological system? Is a society analogous to the human mind?
Foucault on Power and Knowledge
- In the above video, Dr Victor Gijsbers from Leiden University said in order to understand Foucault, he makes a distinction between two types of powers. What are they? Are there other types of power? If so, why does Dr Gijsbers focus on these two types?
- Are there hierarchies of power in societies? If so, how does that relate to Foucault's concept of power?
- According to Foucault, how does knowledge relate to power?
- Do you agree with Foucault that there are 'regimes of truth' and no absolute truth?
