Robert Webking

Study Topics and Questions

I. Antigone

A. Why might Antigone not mention the political distinction between her brothers in her conversation with Ismene?

B. Explain the implications of Antigone's statement that Creon ""has no right to keep me from my own.""

C. Distinguish between political power and political authority.

D. Explain Ismene's reason for obeying the king. Compare Antigone.

E. Who are the people in the chorus? Why has Creon assembled them?

F. Discuss the reasons Creon offers for the chorus to be loyal to him.

G. Compare Antigone and Creon on the relationship between public and private.

H. Consider the private reasons Creon might have for wanting to serve the public interest.

I. Why does the sentry act as he does?

J. Explain the two arguments Antigone gives Creon to justify her action.

K. Discuss Antigone's response to Creon's mention of the political difference between Polyneices and Eteocles.

L. Why is Creon unable to control Antigone?

M. Explain Haemon's argument. Upon what basis does he appeal to his father? Why does he argue with his father?

N. Explain Creon's argument to Haemon that the laws must always be obeyed.

O. Explain the chorus's behavior.

P. Why does Creon change his mind at the end? Discuss in terms of the relationship between public and private.

Q. Discuss Creon's treatment of Tiresias.

R. What does Antigone show us about the limits of force in politics?

S. Discuss the limits on Antigone's apolitical point of view.

T. What does Antigone teach us about kingship and democracy?

II. Apology

A. Why might philosophers necessarily be dangerous to politics?

B. Why might Socrates use rhetoric?

C. What do the informal accusers teach about Socrates?

D. Why might science be a threat to politics?

E. Why does Socrates tell Oracle story?

F. Discuss the Oracle story. What does Socrates say happened? Discuss carefully the things he says he did because of the Oracle.

G. What does the Oracle story show us about Socrates and Athenian political stability?

H. Discuss Socrates' refutation of his formal accusers.

I. Why, according to Socrates, is Socrates the best citizen of Athens.

J. Discuss Socrates comparison of himself with the other people of Athens.

K. What does Socrates say about himself and the law?

L. What does Socrates think of democracy? Why

M. Why does Socrates live as he does? Discuss the different ways he answers this question.

N. How does Socrates account for the slim margin of conviction?

O. How can we account for the mildness of Socrates' closing speech?

P. What do we learn about kinship and democracy from Antigone and the Apology?

A. Define citizenship.

B. What is a good citizen?

C. Why does the definition of a good citizen differ from place to place?

D. Broadly define a good human being.

E. Explain Aristotle's argument about the case where one can be both a good human being and a good citizen. Explain carefully why this coincidence can happen only on such rare occasions.

A. What is a Regime?

B. Why did Lycurgus rule Sparta? How did he prepare himself.

C. For Lycurgus, what was the purpose of law? Use examples (land, money, common meals, marriage).

D. Why were Lycurgus' laws so well obeyed?

E. Discuss the relationship between public and private in Sparta.

A. Explain Aristotle's argument about the nature of human action.

B. Why must politics be concerned with the highest good for human beings?

C. Why is politics the master science?

A. Explain the differences between what Aristotle means by "polis" and what we usually mean by "state."

B. How can we understand politics to be as comprehensive for us as it was for Aristotle?

C. How and why does the polis come into being? What is to distinguishing quality?

D. Why does the polis exist?

E. Why is politics natural for human beings?

F. What is a natural slave? Explain Aristotle's argument about slavery.

G. Explain the rule of parent over child as an example of royal rule and the rule of husband over wife as an example of statesman's rule.

H. Explain the role of economics in the prepolitical household. How does that role change when households are in political communities.

I. Why and according to what standard must economics be controlled in political communities.

J. Why does Aristotle conclude that we cannot understand politics by knowing where it comes from? Why, in fact, can we not understand the household without understanding politics?

A. Why are political and kingly rule more just than despotic rule?

B. What are the two criteria according to which forms of government can be classified?

C. Explain the sixfold classification of regimes.

D. What are the purposes of the various regimes?

E. Explain the principle of distributive justice.

F. What question should we ask in deciding who should have control of public power?

G. Explain the oligarchs' argument that they should rule. Explain Aristotle's critique of that argument.

H. Explain the differences between a political community and an alliance or trade association.

I. On what basis would democracy have to make an argument that the majority should rule. Why should the issue not be decided simply by strength of numbers.

J. Explain Aristotle's best argument for democracy. Why, for Aristotle, is this argument is not usually valid?

K. What is, for Aristotle, the politically relevant equality or inequality? Why?

A. What are the advantages of the rule of law over the immediate rule of human beings? What are the disadvantages?

B. What is a law?

C. Why is force needed in addition to argument to make human beings do what they ought?

D. What is the purpose of the law?

E. Explain Aristotle's argument that law is based upon authority and not simply upon power.

IX. Plato Crito

A. In terms of the authority of politics to control human action, what is the issue of Crito?

B. Who is Crito?

C. Discuss the various reasons that Crito has for wanting Socrates' escape.

D. What is Crito's standard of excellence?

E. Explain Socrates' criticism of public opinion.

F. Explain Socrates' argument about what is necessary in deciding whether to disobey the law.

G. Explain Socrates' argument about the meaning of justice.

H. Consider the implications of Crito's inability to understand what justice requires in this instance.

I. What is the value of law an its relationship to philosophy for men like Crito?

J. Discuss Socrates' argument as to why he should not disobey the laws.

K. Explain Socrates' contract with the city of Athens.

L. How can we account for the apparent difference between Socrates' argument in the Crito and Apology?

M. What might we conclude from Crito about the question of whether one is obligated to obey imperfect laws? Why?

X. Melville, Billy Budd

A. What is the context of the story and what is the importance of that context?

B. What is a Handsome Sailor?

C. Compare Billy Budd to the Handsome Sailor.

D. Compare Billy's position on the Indomitable to his position on the Right of Man.

E. Discuss Billy's relationship to politics.

F. Explain the difference between nature and convention.

G. What is a Great Sailor? Compare with the Handsome Sailor.

H. Compare Captain Vere to the Great Sailor.

I. Why did Vere think it important to defeat the French?

J. Explain Claggart. Explain his relationship with politics.

K. What role does Captain Vere play in causing the tragedy? Why?

L. Explain carefully Vere's arguments before the court.

M. Distinguish natural justice and political justice.

N. Why is politics limited in its ability to achieve natural justice?

O. Why does Vere choose political over natural justice in this case? Why might Billy agree with the Captain's decision?

XI. The Declaration of Independence and the Federalist

A. Explain the criticisms of Aristotle's political thought made by modern thinkers. Compare the different views of the purpose of government.

B. What does Jefferson mean by "all men are created equal"? Compare with Aristotle.

C. What is an unalienable right? Discuss the rights listed in the Declaration and what they mean. Compare "the pursuit of happiness" with the purpose of politics for Aristotle.

D. What is the purpose of government according to the Declaration?

E. Explain the requirement of consent in the Declaration.

F. Why do people consent to be governed?

A. According to the Federalist, what are the objects of the Union?

B. Explain Hamilton and Madison's view of human nature. Compare with Aristotle.

C. What were the deficiencies of the Articles of Confederation?

D. What is a faction? Explain tyranny of the majority.

E. How might the violence of faction be avoided by removing the causes of faction? Why does Madison reject these solutions?

F. What are the sources of faction?

G. How does Madison propose to control the effects of faction?

H. Discuss the differences between a pure democracy and a republic.

I. Discuss the advantages of large republics over small republics.

J. Discuss the advantages of a commercial republic.

K. Discuss Madison's solution to the problem of factions originating in differences of passion or opinion, especially

religious and political opinions.

A. Explain checks and balances. What are the institutional means and personal motives that make it work?

B. Why are checks and balances necessary?

C. Discuss the difference between the approaches taken by Aristotle and Madison to the problem of the "defect of better motives."

XIV. The Federalist 37, 49, 63, 70, 72, 78

A. Explain the common interest of the citizens of the United States. Compare Aristotle.

B. What qualities are necessary for the government to be able to reach the common interest? Explain the conflict

between the needs for energy and stability on the one hand and the desire for popular government on the other.

C. Discuss Mr. Jefferson's proposal and the reasons for Madison's rejection of that proposal in Federalist 49.

D. Explain Madison's discussion of the importance of the people's venerating the government. Discuss the view of human nature Madison assumes here. Compare Crito and Billy Budd.

E. Explain the Founders' intentions in creating the House of Representatives as they did.

F. Explain the Founders' intentions in creating the Senate as they did.

G. Explain the Founders' intentions in creating the Presidency as they did.

H. Explain the Founders' intentions in creating the Supreme Court as they did.

XV. Tocqueville, Democracy in America

A. What is the basic fact that one must comprehend to understand the American regime?

B. What is the effect of politics on determining the character of Americans? Consider inheritance.

C. Why does equality result in an almost universal pursuit of material well being? Why does that materialism continue even among those who are already well off?

D. Why is there more individualism is ages of equality than in aristocratic ages?

E. Whose opinion is considered authoritative in democratic ages? Why?

F. Why does speculative or abstract thinking largely give way to practical thinking in ages of equality?

G. Explain enlightened selfinterest. Compare this morality to traditional morality. Why does traditional morality not

prosper in ages of equality?

H. What is the effect of the enlightened selfinterest upon the actions of the people with regard to one another.

I. Discuss the political and economic effects of the doctrine of enlightened selfinterest.

K. What are the differences between aristocracies and democracies in the kinds of people they produce?

L. Explain the benefits of democratic regimes. Explain what must be given up to achieve those benefits.