POEC-2550 Intro Political Philosophy Through Plato
(TEXTS & CONTEXTS, ENGAGING DIFFERENCE) An introductory survey of Western philosophical ideals regarding political economy with an emphasis on Plato's Republic. In this course we examine major philosophies in Western political economy in light of the political economy discussions Plato initiates in the Republic. Focus will be primarily on Plato, but we will further compare the ideas he raises with Locke, Smith, Burke, Marx, anarchists, contemporary liberals, contemporary conservatives and democratic socialists, feminists, and environmentalists. Students do daily written analyses of the reading before class and then engage in Socratic dialogue with the professor. There is very little lecture. Formerly POE-255.