Political Philosophy

Watch

• Plato’s best (and worst) ideas - Wisecrack ↗TED-Ed
• The philosophy of Stoicism - Massimo Pigliucci ↗TED-Ed
• Political Theory and Human Nature | Jonathan Anomaly | TEDxUDLA ↗TEDx Talks
• Clinton - Episode 1 (2012) | Full Documentary ↗PBS America
• POLITICAL THEORY - John Locke ↗The School of Life
• POLITICAL THEORY - Niccolò Machiavelli ↗The School of Life

Read

• The Republic ↗This foundational text explores justice, ideal governance, and the nature of the state, setting the stage for millennia of political thought.Plato
• Leviathan ↗A stark argument for absolute sovereignty, this work posits that only a powerful state can rescue humanity from the brutal 'state of nature'.Thomas Hobbes
• Two Treatises of Government ↗Articulating the principles of natural rights and limited government, it provides the philosophical bedrock for modern liberal democracies.John Locke
• Two Concepts of LibertyThis seminal essay distinguishes between negative and positive liberty, profoundly shaping subsequent discussions on freedom and political obligation.Isaiah Berlin
• A Theory of Justice ↗A monumental work that redefines justice as fairness, proposing a thought experiment to construct a just society from first principles.John Rawls

Voices to follow

• Martha Nussbaum ↗Her rigorous exploration of human capabilities and emotions offers a compelling framework for understanding justice and ethical governance.Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics, University of Chicago
• Michael Sandel ↗He masterfully dissects the moral dilemmas of contemporary politics, challenging prevailing liberal assumptions with a focus on civic virtue and the common good.Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor of Government, Harvard University
• Amartya Sen ↗His pioneering work on welfare economics and 'development as freedom' provides a profound philosophical basis for evaluating social justice and human well-being globally.Thomas W. Lamont University Professor, Harvard University (Emeritus) and Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences
• Judith Butler ↗Their influential theories on gender, power, and performativity have fundamentally reshaped discourse on identity, challenging conventional political categories and norms.Maxine Elliot Professor in the Department of Comparative Literature and the Program of Critical Theory, University of California, Berkeley
• Charles Taylor ↗His extensive scholarship on communitarianism, multiculturalism, and the modern self offers deep insights into the cultural and historical underpinnings of political identity and belonging.Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, McGill University

Glossary

• AuthorityAuthority is the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and expect obedience. It's about having a legitimate (rightful) reason to lead or control. For example, a teacher has the authority to set classroom rules and assign homework.
• CitizenA citizen is a legal member of a country or state, who has certain rights and responsibilities. These responsibilities often include following laws and participating in society. For example, as a citizen of India, you have the right to vote once you turn 18 and the responsibility to pay taxes when you earn money.
• Common GoodThe common good refers to what is best for all members of a community or society, rather than just a few individuals. It's about decisions and actions that benefit everyone. For example, building a new public park that everyone in the neighborhood can enjoy contributes to the common good.
• DemocracyDemocracy is a type of government where the power belongs to the people, who either vote directly on decisions or elect representatives to make decisions for them. It means "rule by the people." For example, when students vote for their class monitor, they are practicing a form of democracy.
• EqualityEquality means that all people should have the same rights, opportunities, and treatment, regardless of their background, gender, or beliefs. It's about making sure no one is unfairly disadvantaged. For example, equality means that both boys and girls should have the same chance to play any sport they choose.
• GovernmentA government is the group of people and system that runs a country, state, or community. Its job is to make and enforce laws, provide services, and protect its citizens. For example, your city government might be responsible for maintaining roads and collecting trash.
• JusticeJustice is about fairness and making sure everyone gets what they deserve, whether it's a reward or a punishment. It's about treating people equally and correcting wrongs. For example, if two students work equally hard on a project, justice means they should both get similar good grades.
• LawLaws are the official rules made by a government that everyone in a society must follow. They are designed to keep order, protect rights, and ensure justice. For example, traffic laws like stopping at a red light are rules everyone must follow to keep roads safe.
• LibertyLiberty means having the freedom to make your own choices and live your life without too much interference from others or the government. It's about being able to think, speak, and act as you wish, as long as you don't harm others. For example, having the liberty to choose what subjects you want to study in school (within limits) or to express your opinion respectfully.
• RightsRights are basic things that all people are entitled to have or to do, simply because they are human. These are often protected by laws and ensure you are treated fairly. For example, the right to education means every child should have the chance to go to school.
• StateIn political philosophy, a state refers to an organized community living under a single government. It's often used to mean a country or nation. For example, India is a state with its own government, laws, and citizens.

Threads 3

Where this connects to other fields, and why it's worth knowing.

• Cryptography & Digital Security Mathematics

  Philosophers spent centuries on one puzzle: how do strangers with no king or referee agree on what's true and fair? Blockchains, like the tech behind Bitcoin, smacked straight into that same puzzle, thousands of strangers online with no boss. Their answer was 'consensus algorithms,' math recipes that let a crowd agree on the truth without trusting anyone in charge.

• Probability, Risk & Uncertainty Mathematics

  Philosopher John Rawls asked: design the rules of society before you know who you'll be, rich or poor, healthy or sick, behind a 'veil of ignorance.' You'd build a fair world because you might land at the bottom. That's really just buying insurance: you protect against every version of yourself, because you don't know which one you'll get.

• Corporate Governance Business

  A big company is basically a tiny country. It has voters (shareholders), a government (the board), and constant arguments about who has the right to rule. It's replaying a centuries-old philosophy question, when is power legitimate?, just shrunk down to the size of a corporation instead of a nation.