The United States Declaration of Independence proposes in its preamble that legitimate governments are formed through a collective "social contract." On this understanding of government, each of us agrees to give up some liberties in order to guarantee that the rest of our rights remain protected. Among early modern European thinkers, this idea was first advanced by Thomas Hobbes, most famously in his 1651 book Leviathan. Yet the system of government that Hobbes advocated, absolute monarchy, is quite different from the system of government that the United States has had since its founding. In this online course, we will read the first half of Leviathan, in order to compare and contrast Hobbes's political absolutism and its rationale with the system and governing philosophies of present-day liberal democracy. We will meet weekly over Zoom for lecture, close reading, and discussion. Coursework will also include weekly reading assignments, occasional short reading responses and quizzes, two two-page essays, and one 3-4 page essay.
Anticipated Credit Equivalencies:
4 - Philosophy: Hobbes