Phil 179S: Course Schedule

Thinking Through Democracy

Spring 2006
Tuesday/Thursday 2:45-4:00 PM
Mr. Beckman

Week Day Reading Topic Writing
Jan 16-20 Tu Introduction/Orientation . .
Th Plato, Republic Book II #368 to Book III #398C The Virtuous State: Preparation of the Guardians .
Jan 23-27 Tu RepublicBook III #412B through Book IV #445E Duties of the Guardians and Analysis of Virtue P1
Th Republic Book V #449A to Book VI #487B Women, Families, and Rightful Rule .
Jan 30-Feb 3 Tu Republic Book VIII #543A to Book IX #580C How the Virtuous State Declines P2
Th Aristotle Politics Book I and Book III Households, State, and Citizenship .
Feb 6-10 Tu Locke Second Treatise of Government Sec 1-8 The Origins of Political Society P3
Th Second Treatise of Government Sec 9-19 The Forms of Commonwealth .
Feb 13-17 Tu Hamilton, et al The Essential Federalist and Anti-Federalist Papers Pgs 1 - 57 Objections to the Constitution P4
Th The Essential Federalist and Anti-Federalist Papers Anti-Feds, Pgs 58 - 96 Objections, continued .
Feb 20-24 Tu The Essential Federalist and Anti-Federalist Papers Nos 1, 2, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 23, 37 & 39 Defense of the Constitution P5
Th The Essential Federalist and Anti-Federalist Papers Nos 47, 48, 49, 51, 62, 63, 70, 78, 84, & 85 Defense, continued .
Feb 27-Mar 3 Tu de Toqueville Democracy in America pp. 1 - 72 . P6
Th Democracy in America pp. 73 - 126 . .
Mar 6-10 Tu Dewey, John Freedom and Culture Chs 1 - 4 Freedom as a Cultural Attribute P7
Th Freedom and Culture Chs 5 - 7 Freedom as a Cultural Attribute .
Mar 13-17 Spring Vacation
Mar 20-24 Tu Etzioni, Amitai How Patriotic is the Patriot Act? Chs 1 - 2 Does Security Require Suspense of Civil Rights? .
Th How Patriotic is the Patriot Act? Chs 3 - 4 continued .
Mar 27-31 Tu How Patriotic is the Patriot Act? Chs 5 - 6 concluded ResProsp
Th Gutmann, Amy and Dennis Thompson. Why Deliberative Democracy? Ch 2 (xerox handout) and McKibben, Bill. "The Christian Paradox" in Harper's Magazine September 15, 2005 (xerox handout) Is There a Role for Religious Belief in Democracy? .
Apr 3-7 Tu Rosenblum, Nancy (ed) Obligations of Citizenship and Demands of Faith Chs 3, 4, & 5 continued .
Th Obligations of Citizenship and Demands of Faith Chs 6 & 10 concluded .
Apr 10-14 Tu Bimber, Bruce Information and American Democracy Chs 2-3 Does Technology Transform Democracy? ResBibliog
Th Information and American Democracy Ch 4, pp. 110-160 continued .
Apr 17-21 Tu Information and American Democracy Ch 4, pp. 161-196 and Ch 5 concluded .
Th Gutmann, Amy (ed) Democracy and the Welfare State pp. 3-78 Does the Principle of Democracy Require the Practice of Social Equity? .
Apr 24-28 Tu Democracy and the Welfare State pp. 79-156 continued ResOutline
Th Democracy and the Welfare State pp. 157-184 and 207-231 concluded .
May 1-3 Presentations Period
May 4-5 Reading Period Research Papers due for seniors
May 8-12 Final Exams Research Papers due for all others

Assigned Texts

Updated on November 7, 2005; click here to return to My HomePage or here to return to Course Index Page.