PHI 320 - Classical Political Theory

3 credits
The course is organized around the major questions, concepts, theories, and ideologies addressed within classical political theory (400’s BC - 19th Century AD). We will read philosophical works on these topics by Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Machiavelli, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Adam Smith, James Madison, John Stuart Mill, Karl Marx, and others. Emphasis is placed on reading from the original texts, analyzing the logical structure of arguments, developing one’s own logical positions, and observing the connections among various thinkers with the goal of applying their ideas toward understanding the world today. All of this is accomplished within a Christian worldview.
Prerequisite(s): Either PHI 101 or POL 200, or discipline approval.