Political philosophy

that justice is whatever the ruler of any political system says it is. Is it because they are in power they dictate what is just and unjust. A few great thinkers who support this claim are Thrasymachus an aspiring tyrant who wishes to have absolute rule, The Athenian generals negotiating with Melian oligarchs, and Machiavelli a renaissance politician. Critics of this claim include Plato, who is one of the most significant figures of ancient Greek philosophy, seeks what is justice in one of his…

in which one person or a small group possesses absolute power without effective constitutional limitations, a temporary magistrate who was granted extraordinary powers in order to deal with state crises. Resorting force and fraud to gain despotic political power, which they maintained through the use of intimidation, terror and the suppression of basic civic liberties. They may also employ techniques of mass propaganda in order to sustain their public support (EBSCOHost.com). When it comes to…

that serves to protect the freedoms of the individuals who proudly chant the motto, “Land of the Free and Home of the Brave”. Yet, often people fail to truly understand what freedom means. In order to do so, it is critical to examine historical political writings on freedom, specifically the teachings of Rousseau and Mill. The specific thoughts of Rousseau and Mill on freedom, the significance of social contracts, individual versus social freedom, and government’s role…

How does Hobbes’s view of nature shape his political theory? Political theories make suppositions about nature and/or natural laws. These boundaries (including the behaviors of the people within it) shape actions and decision-making, and the rules of nature thusly form the foundation of the ideology. It is prudent to analyze in-depth this basis for the moral and political philosophy of the great thinkers. The assumptions must make sense if the overall theory of thought built upon this…

John Locke’s Second Treatise of Government highly criticized Thomas Hobbes’ Leviathan’s political ideology and view of human nature. The political philosophies of both John Locke and Thomas Hobbes, although similar in some ways are equally opposite. This paper will explore contrasting beliefs of both philosophers and critique John Locke’s Second Treatise of Government from a Hobbesian point of view. It is important to note that Thomas Hobbes and John Locke were not born in the same time period…

Between the philosophies laid out by Machiavelli, Hobbes, and Locke, political thought in regards to politics, governmental structure, and the rights of man have increased throughout time. Through my essay, I aim to discuss how Hobbes built on Machiavelli’s thoughts, and how Locke built on Hobbes, while discussing their differences in view points. Subsequently, I will also discuss how the views of each philosopher mentioned compares and contrasts to the ideas of Plato discussed in the Socratic…

that we encounter on a daily basis, is morality. There are many reasons and theories of morality and everyone is entitled to their own thoughts and beliefs. I will be discussing the Social Contract Theory. The Social Contract Theory, is “as old as philosophy itself” (IEP, para 1). The concept of this theory is that a group of people come together and agree on terms which they must follow. In doing so, each person must give up his or her own desires for the overall performance of the group.…

An Exploration of Utilitarianism When looking at our nation as it is today, it seems almost impossible that there was a time at which we were without a state. The state plays a more active role in our lives today than ever before. All throughout time, many philosophers, as well as everyday people, evaluate whether or not a state is justified, and if it is, who should rule. While most would agree that the state is justified, there are many different ideas as to how much power the state should…

which includes the right to life, liberty, and property. Rousseau is also known for influencing the French revolution and other educational philosophies. While Locke and Rousseau share some ideas in social contract theory, they have differing opinions on the state of nature and how it affects human happiness. Locke defines nature to be the civil and political equality between all people. Conversely, Rousseau depicts the state of nature to be a time before a prehistoric time were…

Ayn Rand is also noted for her contributions to libertarian philosophy. She is seen as the most influential figure to those who have adopted libertarian styled thinking. Her famous work The Fountainhead is an allegory of one of the larges libertarian ideas. As libertarians, the belief that you are under complete ownership of yourself is a hallmark. There should not be any reason in the world that you are compelled to sacrifice your time unless you are compelled to do so. Consequent to this…