V7064 SOCIETY STATE AND HUMANITY
BA1styear Philosophyelectivecourse
Spring-Summer Terms 2009
Course outline and reading list
1
Course convenor and lecturer: Andrew Chitty, , tel. (67)8296, room B241
Office hours: Tuesdays 1.30-2.30, Fridays 12.00-1.00
Tutor: Charlotte Daub,
Office hours: Tuesdays 11.00-12.00, B152
Tutor: Dylan Trigg,
Office hours: Fridays 2.00-4.00, B152
Department Coordinator: Robbie Robb, , 01273 877378, B259
Course description
The course surveys some fundamental answers to the question ‘what is a human being?’ together with the conceptions of society and of the state, and of the best kind of society or state, through the work of the historical figures that have advanced them. Its aim is to give you a basic understanding of the range of ways in which the ideas of humanity, society and state have been conceptualised in Western thought, and the ways that ideas of human nature have been used to justify different kinds of society or state.
The themes of the course can be summarised by asking how each of the figures (or groups of figures) that we will be studying answers the following questions, and how their answers fit together.
–What is a human being? What are the essential characteristics of humans? What distinguishes them from other animals? Are humans essentially social beings or could we be human in the absence of society?
– What is society? What is the ‘glue’ that holds a society together and makes it more than just a collection of individual human beings thrown together? What is the best kind of society?
–What is the state? What, if any, is its ‘purpose’? What is the best kind of state?
Course syllabus page
See
Teaching method
One 50-minute lecture and one 50-minute seminar per week. There will be 13 lectures and 14 seminars in all. In addition to the lectures and seminars, you should be doing 6 hours reading each week for this course.
Assessment
The course is divided into three parts, each of four weeks. It is assessed by an unseen exam in the Summer Term covering Parts 2 and 3 of the course. Section A of the exam will cover Part 2 and Section B will cover Part 3.
The generic assessment criteria for the School of Humanities are available at
Please note that the authoritative source for formal assessment requirements is Sussex Direct. Go to ‘View my study pages’, then ‘Course results’, then to this course. The Philosophy BA assessment page at provides further information on the assessment of Philosophy courses, which is designed to co-ordinate with the requirements provided via Sussex Direct. Please do not rely solely on tutors’ information about assessment, as such information is not authoritative and may occasionally be mistaken.
Non-contributory coursework
You will be asked to write an essay (maximum length 1000 words), on a topic from Part 1 of the course, which is to be submitted at the seminar in week 6 (Tuesday 17th February). This is a non-contributory essay, i.e. the mark given for it will not contribute to the assessment for the course. Essay questions are given under topics 1-4 in the reading list.
Citations and bibliography
Citations and bibliographical details in essays and dissertations should follow the guidelines at The essays will be returned within three weeks of receipt.
Student feedback
A sheet will be circulated for informal feedback mid-way through the course, and we will tell you in the following session how we will respond to the results. A student evaluation questionnaire will be completed at the end of the course.
Books for purchase
You should buy the Study Pack for the course. Please also try to buy copies of the books by the figures in the course that you are most interested in.
Study Direct
The Study Direct site for this course gives online access to a number of useful course readings. You should be able to access it from your Sussex Direct home page or from the Sussex ‘information for students’ page
Online resources
The Philosophy Department’s philosophy internet resources page at the quickest route to accessing philosophy articles and books online.
Readings
Each session of the course will be based on two or three essential readings, which will be in the region of 50 pages long. You should read the main readings, which will be included in the Study Pack for the course, and at least one other item on the reading list before the seminar. To write an essay on a topic you should read, say, another two or three items, as well as obtaining obtain a hard copy of the primary text for reference.
In advance of the seminar, please write down one or two questions that you have about the essential readings and bring them with you.
Seminar tutors may recommend readings in addition to the reading list.
Structure of the course
The seminar on Tuesday of week 1 will be introductory. The lecture on Friday of week 1 will be on Aristotle on human nature and the virtues. Thereafter each Tuesday seminar will be on the same topic as the previous Friday’s lecture.
There will be no lecture on Friday of week 5 so as to give you time for writing your essay. Instead Andrew Chitty will be available at that time to give additional essay writing advice if needed. The seminar in week 6 will be used for recapitulating the main themes of the course so far and any issues that have come up in writing your essays.
There will be no lecture on Friday of week 10 of the Spring Term and no seminar on Monday of week 1 of the Summer Term.
General reading
On theories of human nature:
Shapiro, I. (1998) ‘Human nature’, Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Loptson, P. (2001) Theories of Human Nature, 2nd ed.
Trigg, R. (1988) Ideas of Human Nature: An Historical Introduction, 2nd ed. 1999
Stevenson, L. and Haberman, D.L. (1998) Ten Theories of Human Nature, 3rd ed. 2004
Palmer, D. (1999) Visions of Human Nature: An Introduction
On society and state:
Campbell, T. (1981) Seven Theories of Human Society
Redhead, B. ed. (1984) Plato to Nato: Studies in Political Thought (also published as Political Thought from Plato to Nato)
Miller, D. ed. (1987) The Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Political Thought
Hampsher-Monk, I. (1992) A History of Modern Political Thought
Wolin, S. (1960) Politics and Vision: Continuity and Innovation in Western Political Thought
Berki, R.N. (1977) The History of Political Thought: A Short Introduction
McClelland, J.S. (1996) A History of Western Political Thought
Plamenatz, J. (1963) Man and Society, 2 vols., new ed. in 3 vols. 1991
On gender in these thinkers:
Okin, S.M. (1979) Women in Western Political Thought
Saxonhouse, A. (1985) Women in the History of Political Thought: Ancient Greece to Machiavelli
Coole, D.H. (1988) Women in Political Theory: From Ancient Misogyny to Contemporary Feminism, 2nd ed. 1993
Carver, T. (2005) Men in Political Theory
The ‘Very Short Introduction’ series by Oxford University Press (e.g. Rousseau: A Very Short Introduction) and the ‘Cambridge Companion’ series by Cambridge University Press (e.g. The Cambridge Companion to Rousseau) are very useful if you are planning to write an essay or prepare an exam question on a particular thinker.
Audio books
Audio books of some of the texts used in the course are available at
PART 1
1. Aristotle on the good for human beings and the virtues
The good for human beings, eudaimonia (happiness/flourishing), the function argument, the virtues, justice, friendship, homonoia (unanimity/concord), political friendship.
Essential reading:
Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, trans. W.D. Ross, books 1, 2.1 (on human nature, the good life, and the virtues), 5.1-5.10 (on justice), book 8.1-8.13 (on friendship)
Additional texts:
Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, book 9.1, 9.4, 9.6 (on friendship)
Aristotle, Politics, book 2.4 (on justice)
Introductions:
Johnston, I. (1997) Lecture on Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics
Kraut, R. (2007) ‘Aristotle’s ethics’, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, sections 1, 3, 9
Irwin, T.H. (2003) ‘Aristotle’, Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, sections 21, 22, 25
The good for human beings and the ‘function’ argument:
Broadie, S. (1994) Ethics with Aristotle, chs. 1-2
Nagel, T. (1972) ‘Aristotle on eudaimonia’, Phronesis 17, reprinted in Rorty (ed.) Essays on Aristotle’s Ethics
Justice:
Irwin, T. (1990) Aristotle’s First Principles, ch. 20 ‘Justice’
Miller, F.D. Jr. (1995) Nature, Justice and Rights in Aristotle’s Politics, ch. 3 ‘Justice’
Friendship, homonoia (unanimity/concord) and political community:
Cooper, J. (1977) ‘Aristotle on the forms of friendship’, Review of Metaphysics 30
Klonoski R. (1996) ‘Homonoia in Aristotle’s ethics and politics’, History of Political Thought 17(3)
Podcasts:
Roger Crisp on Aristotle’s Ethics, Interviews with Oxonians
Nigel Warburton, Aristotle - Nicomachean Ethics, Philosophy: The Classics
Myles Burnyeat on Aristotle on happiness, Philosophy Bites
Essay questions:
1. Assess Aristotle’s ‘function’ argument in Nicomachean Ethics 1.7.
2. For Aristotle, is justice a matter of conforming to absolute principles or of obeying the law of one’s country?
3. Discuss Aristotle’s conception of friendship between citizens (‘political friendship’) in Nicomachean Ethics books 8 and 9.
2. Aristotle on the state
Man as a political animal, the telos of the state, the state as existing by nature, political rule, the types of constitution, the best constitution.
Essential reading:
Aristotle, Politics, trans. B. Jowett, book 1.1-1.7 (on the nature of the state), book 3 (on citizenship, political rule, and the types of constitution), book 4.1-4.12 (on the best and second-best constitution)
Additional text:
Aristotle, Politics, book 7.1, 7.13-7.15 (on the best constitution)
Introductions:
Moschella, M. (2000) ‘Aristotle’s Politics study guide’, Gradesaver
Miller, F. (2002) ‘Aristotle’s Politics’, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Irwin, T. (1990) Aristotle’s First Principles, ch. 19 ‘The State’
Human nature and the state:
Adkins, A.W. (1984) ‘The connection between Aristotle’s ethics and politics’, Political Theory 12(1)
Mulgan, R.G. (1974) ‘Aristotle’s doctrine that man is a political animal’, Hermes 102(3)
Nederman, C.J. (1994) ‘ The puzzle of the political animal: nature and artifice in Aristotle’s political theory’, Review of Politics 56(2)
Everson, S. (1988) ‘Aristotle on the foundations of the state’, Political Studies 36(1)
The best constitution:
Miller, F.D. Jr. (1995) Nature, Justice and Rights in Aristotle’s Politics, ch. 6.1 (pp. 191-3)
Alexander L.A. (2000) ‘ The best regimes of Aristotle’s Politics’, History of Political Thought 21(2)
Podcast:
Aristotle’s Politics - a perfect society?, In Our Time
Essay questions:
1. Evaluate Aristotle’s view that to realise their nature humans need to live in a polis.
2. ‘There is no particular connection between Aristotle’s account the nature of the polis in Politics book 1and his views about the best constitution for a polis in books 3, 4 and 7.’ Discuss
3. Hobbes
Human nature, desire, glory, the state of nature, the war of all against all, the right of nature, the laws of nature, the social contract, the sovereign, representation, political obligation.
Essential reading:
Hobbes, Thomas [1651] Leviathan, Introduction (first paragraph), chs. 10, 11 (first two paragraphs), 13, 14, 15 (first eight paragraphs), 16, 17, Review and conclusion (paragraphs 5-6)
Introductions:
White, R. (2006) ‘Leviathan study guide’, Gradesaver
Lloyd, S.A. and Sreedhar, S. (2008) ‘Hobbes’s moral and political philosophy’, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, sections 1-8
Sorell, T. (2002) ‘Hobbes, Thomas’, Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, sections 5-8
The state of nature and the state of war:
Kuhn, S. (2007) ‘Prisoner’s dilemma’, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, introduction and section 1
Kavka, G.S. (1983) ‘Hobbes’s war of all against all’, Ethics 93(2)
Political obligation:
Nagel, T. (1959) ‘Hobbes’s concept of obligation’, The Philosophical Review 68(1)
Representation and the state as a ‘person’:
Copp, D. (1980) ‘Hobbes on artificial persons and collective actions’, The Philosophical Review 89(4)
Runciman, D. (2006) ‘ Hobbes’s theory of representation: anti-democratic or proto-democratic?’
Podcasts:
Quentin Skinner on Hobbes on the State, Philosophy Bites
Thomas Hobbes, In Our Time
Nigel Warburton, Hobbes - Leviathan, Philosophy: The Classics
Essay questions:
1.What is it about human psychology that makes a state necessary, for Hobbes?
2.Does Hobbes’s view of the state imply that it should be democratic?
3.Write a criticism of Hobbes’s account of the state from Aristotle’s point of view.
4. Hume
Human partiality, sympathy, moral sentiments, natural virtues, artificial virtues, the emergence of justice, the emergence of the state, the motivation for political obedience, Hobbes and democracy.
Essential reading:
Hume, David [1739-40] A Treatise of Human Nature, 2.1.7 (paragraph 3); 2.1.11 (first six paragraphs); 2.2.5 (paragraph 15); 3.1.2 (first three paragraphs); book 3.2.2-8; 3.3.1 (first 12 paragraphs); 3.3.6 (first paragraph)
Additional text:
Hume, David [1751] Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals, appendix 3 ‘Some further considerations with regard to justice’
Introductions:
Cohon, R. (2004) ‘Hume’s moral philosophy’, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, sections 7-11
Garrett, D. (2005) ‘Hume, David (1711–76)’, Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, sections 11-12
Fieser , J. (2006) ‘David Hume (1711-1776) moral theory’, Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, sections 2 3
Sympathy and moral sentiments:
Hardin, R. (2007) David Hume: Moral and Political Theorist, ch. 2 ‘Moral psychology’
Vitz, R. (2004) ‘Sympathy and benevolence in Hume’s moral psychology’, Journal of the History of Philosophy 42(3), section 1 ‘Sympathy and benevolence in the Treatise’
The emergence of justice, property and the state:
Baier, A. (1988) 'Hume's account of social artifice: its origins and originality', Ethics 98(4)
Cottle, C.E. (1979) ‘Justice as an artificial virtue in Hume’s Treatise’, Journal of the History of Ideas 40(3)
Yellin, M.E. (2000) ‘Indirect utility, justice, and equality in the political thought of David Hume’, Critical Review 14(4), section 1 ‘The interest account of artificial virtues’
Hardin, R. (2007) David Hume: Moral and Political Theorist, chs. 3-5
Podcast:
Peter Millican on Hume’s Significance, Philosophy Bites
Essay questions:
1.What assumptions about human nature does Hume use to explain the emergence of a sense of justice in humans? Is his explanation plausible?
2.What makes human beings establish and obey states, according to Hume? Could he be right?
PART 2
5. Rousseau on the history of human society
Humans in the state of nature, amour de soi, human plasticity, nascent human society, amour-propre, the moral self, the division of labour, social dependence, the false contract, the lesson of the Discourse on Inequality.
Essential reading:
Rousseau, Jean-Jacques [1755] Discourse on the Origin of Inequality(also known as the ‘Second Discourse’), trans. Ian Johnston, parts 1, 2, note 15 (beginning ‘We must not confuse ...’)
Introductions:
Dent. N. (1998) ‘Rousseau, Jean-Jacques (1712–78)’, Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, sections 1-2
Delaney , J.J. (2006) ‘Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)’, Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, section 3b
Skillen, A. (1985) ‘Rousseau and the fall of social man’, Philosophy 60
Human nature and amour-propre:
Horowitz, A. (1990) ‘“Laws and customs thrust us back into infancy”: Rousseau’s historical anthropology’, Review of Politics 52(2) (sections 2-4 of this article)
Dent, N.J.H. (2003) ‘Rousseau on amour-propre’, Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society Sup. Vol. 72
O’Hagan, T. (2006) ‘Rousseau on amour-propre’, Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society Sup. Vol. 72
The political implications of the Discourse on Inequality:
MacAdam, J.I. (1972) ‘The Discourse on Inequality and the Social Contract’, Philosophy, reprinted in J. Lively and A. Reeve (eds.) Modern Political Theory from Hobbes to Marx
Scott, J.T. (1992) ‘The theodicy of the Second Discourse: the “pure state of nature” and Rousseau’s political thought’, American Political Science Review 86(3)
Rasmussen, D. (2004) ‘Rousseau’s unhappy vision of commercial society’
Podcast:
Melissa Lane on Rousseau on civilization, Philosophy Bites
6. Rousseau on the legitimate state
Humans as free, the necessity of consent, the illegitimacy of a contract of slavery, the social contract, the general will, the transformation in human beings, the legislator, amour-propre in The Social Contract.
Essential reading:
Rousseau, Jean-Jacques [1755] ‘Discourse on Political Economy’, trans. G.D.H. Cole, first half (up to “…that the people is to perish for their own.”), in collections of Rousseau’s works or political works
Rousseau, Jean-Jacques [1762] The Social Contract, trans. G.D.H. Cole, book 1, book 2 chs. 1-7, book 4 chs. 1-2
Introductions:
Smith, A.J. (2006) ‘The Social Contract study guide’
Dent. N. (1998) ‘Rousseau, Jean-Jacques (1712–78)’, Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, section 4
Delaney , J.J. (2006) ‘Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)’, Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, sections 3c, 4
The general will:
Barry, B. (1964) ‘The public interest’, Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society Sup. Vol. 38, reprinted in A. Quinton (ed.) Political Philosophy
Jones, W.T. (1987) ‘Rousseau’s general will and the problem of consent’, Journal of the History of Philosophy 25
Runciman, W.G. and Sen, A. (1965) ‘Games, justice and the general will’, Mind 74 (section 1 of the article, pp. 554-558)
Barnard, F.M. (1984) ‘Will and political rationality in Rousseau’, Political Studies 32, reprinted in J. Lively and A. Reeve (eds.) Modern Political Theory from Hobbes to Marx 1989
Rousseau and Hobbes:
Steinberger, P.J. (2008) ‘Hobbes, Rousseau and the modern conception of the state’, Journal of Politics 70
Podcasts:
The Social Contract, In Our Time
Nigel Warburton, Rousseau - Social Contract, Philosophy: The Classics
7. Fichte
The self-positing I, the necessity of a check, the summons, mutual recognition, the relation of right, spheres of freedom.
Essential reading:
Fichte, J.G. [1794] The Science of Knowledge, trans. P. Heath and A. Lachs, part 1, section 1, subsections 6-9
Fichte, J.G. [1794] SomeLectures Concerning the Scholar’s Vocation, first and second lectures, in Fichte, Early Philosophical Writings, ed. D. Breazeale
Fichte, J.G. [1796] Foundations of Natural Right (also known as the ‘Science of Right’), ed. F. Neuhouser, Part 1, First main division: deduction of the concept of right (pp. 18-52)
Introductions:
Breazeale, D. (2006) ‘Johann Gottlieb Fichte’, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, sections 4.1, 4.4
Bowman, C. (2006) ‘ Johann Gottlieb Fichte (1762-1814)’, section 2d ‘ Foundations of the Entire Wissenschaftslehre’
The I and the not-I:
Wood, A. (1999) ‘The ‘I’ as principle of practical philosophy’, in S. Sedgwick (ed.) The Reception of Kant’s Critical Philosophy: Fichte Schelling and Hegel (the first two sections of the article: ‘From transcendental critique to critical system of transcendental philosophy’ and ‘What is the I?’)
Recognition and the deduction of right:
Inwood, M. (1992) A Hegel Dictionary, entry on ‘recognition and acknowledgement’ (first page)
Shell, S. (1992) ‘“A determined stand”: freedom and security in Fichte’s Science of Right’, Polity 25(1) (section 1 of this article)
Chitty, A. (2007) ‘Identity with the other in Hegel’s dialectic of recognition’ (pp. 3-8 of this article), via Study Direct site
Gardner, S. (2005) ‘Sartre, intersubjectivity, and German Idealism’, Journal of the History of Philosophy 43 (pp. 337-40 of this article)
8. Hegel on mutual recognition and spirit
Self-consciousness, the struggle for recognition, the master-servant relation, the unhappy consciousness, universal self-consciousness, spirit.