Political Science (POLI) 355

Overview

POLI 355: Political Philosophy: Plato to Machiavelli provides an overview of classical political thinking about the best life for humankind and the best ways to live together as a community in which members share similar aspirations. The course is divided into two parts; seven units form Part 1 and six units make up Part 2. Part 1 addresses the main similarities and differences in the political ideas of Plato and Aristotle, and forms two-thirds of the course content. These thinkers, arguably, have been the most intellectually significant as well as the most influential philosophical thinkers then or since. Part 2 discusses a handful of philosophers who embroidered in interesting ways on some of the earlier ideas about politics.

Outline

Political Science 355: Political Philosophy: Plato to Machiavelli comprises thirteen units in two parts, as outlined below.

Part 1: Perspectives on Political Philosophy

• Unit 1: Perennial Questions and Political Philosophy
• Unit 2: Plato on Philosophical Inquiry and the Good
• Unit 3: Plato on Education
• Unit 4: Plato on Decay and Corruption
• Unit 5: Aristotle on Human Association and Happiness
• Unit 6: Aristotle's Typology of Constitutions
• Unit 7: Aristotle on Education, the Ideal State and Revolution

Part 2: Medieval to Modern Political Philosophy

• Unit 8: St. Augustine
• Unit 9: Hildegard of Bingen
• Unit 10: St. Thomas Aquinas
• Unit 11: Machiavelli on the Sources of Political Power
• Unit 12: Machiavelli on Successful Political Leadership
• Unit 13: Conclusion: Changing Answers to Perennial Questions

Evaluation

To receive credit for POLI 355, you must achieve a mark of at least 60 per cent on the final examination and obtain a course composite grade of "D" (50 per cent) or better. The weighting of the composite grade is as follows:

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.

Course Materials

Textbooks

Other materials

The course materials also include a study guide, student manual, and a reading file.

Challenge for Credit Course Overview

The Challenge for Credit process allows students to demonstrate that they have acquired a command of the general subject matter, knowledge, intellectual and/or other skills that would normally be found in a university level course.

Full information for the Challenge for Credit can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar.

• Undergraduate Challenge for Credit Policy
• Undergraduate Challenge for Credit Procedures

Challenge Evaluation

To receive credit for the POLI 355 challenge registration, you must achieve a grade of at least “D” (50 percent) on the examination.

Undergraduate Challenge for Credit Course Registration Form

• Challenge for Credit Form