Download or read book Stoicism and the Western Political Tradition written by Lisa Hill and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-07-17 with total page 254 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book uniquely recovers and assesses Stoic political thought by tracking its uptake into Western modernity and exploring the extent of its impact. Classical Stoicism has lately seen a popular resurgence inspiring self-help books and therapeutic treatments for anxiety and depression. As a scholarly source for the Western political tradition, it is even more important. Yet, as A.A. Long once observed: “[o]f all the ancient philosophies, Stoicism has probably had the most diffused” yet least “adequately acknowledged influence on Western thought.” This close textual study not only provides the first systematic study of the political content of Stoic thought but also establishes the hitherto under-appreciated influence of classical Stoicism on the political thought of the long eighteenth century and beyond in Europe and particularly Britain. The Stoic ideas upon which we focus include their cosmopolitanism, their contribution to sociability and self-interest debates, their influence on modern feminism and utilitarianism, and their prefiguration of modern conceptions of personal rights.
Download or read book The Stoic Idea of the City written by Malcolm Schofield and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 1999-07 with total page 197 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This systematic analysis of the Stoic school concentrates on Zeno's Republic. Using textual evidence, the author examines the Stoic ideals that initiated the natural law tradition of western political thought.
Download or read book Stoicism Politics and Literature in the Age of Milton written by Andrew Shifflett and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 1998-08-28 with total page 196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This 1998 book examines key seventeenth-century writers in the context of their common interest in the philosophical tradition of Stoicism.
Download or read book John Selden and the Western Political Tradition written by Ofir Haivry and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2017-06-29 with total page 521 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This detailed analysis establishes John Selden as one of the most interesting and important early modern political theorists.
Download or read book Citizens to Lords written by Ellen Meiksins Wood and published by Verso Books. This book was released on 2011-08-01 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this groundbreaking work, Ellen Meiksins Wood rewrites the history of political theory. She traces the development of the Western tradition from classical antiquity through to the Middle Ages in the perspective of social history—a significant departure not only from the standard abstract history of ideas but also from other contextual methods. Treating canonical thinkers as passionately engaged human beings, Wood examines their ideas not simply in the context of political languages but as creative responses to the social relations and conflicts of their time and place. She identifies a distinctive relation between property and state in Western history and shows how the canon, while largely the work of members or clients of dominant classes, was shaped by complex interactions among proprietors, labourers and states. Western political theory, Wood argues, owes much of its vigour, and also many ambiguities, to these complex and often contradictory relations. From the Ancient Greek polis of Plato, Aristotle, Aeschylus and Sophocles, through the Roman Republic of Cicero and the Empire of St Paul and St Augustine, to the medieval world of Averroes, Thomas Aquinas and William of Ockham, Citizens to Lords offers a rich, dynamic exploration of thinkers and ideas that have indelibly stamped our modern world.
Download or read book Philosophic Pride written by Christopher Brooke and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2022-11-29 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Philosophic Pride is the first full-scale look at the essential place of Stoicism in the foundations of modern political thought. Spanning the period from Justus Lipsius's Politics in 1589 to Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Emile in 1762, and concentrating on arguments originating from England, France, and the Netherlands, the book considers how political writers of the period engaged with the ideas of the Roman and Greek Stoics that they found in works by Cicero, Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius. Christopher Brooke examines key texts in their historical context, paying special attention to the history of classical scholarship and the historiography of philosophy. Brooke delves into the persisting tension between Stoicism and the tradition of Augustinian anti-Stoic criticism, which held Stoicism to be a philosophy for the proud who denied their fallen condition. Concentrating on arguments in moral psychology surrounding the foundations of human sociability and self-love, Philosophic Pride details how the engagement with Roman Stoicism shaped early modern political philosophy and offers significant new interpretations of Lipsius and Rousseau together with fresh perspectives on the political thought of Hugo Grotius and Thomas Hobbes. Philosophic Pride shows how the legacy of the Stoics played a vital role in European intellectual life in the early modern era.
Download or read book The Cosmopolitan Tradition written by Martha C. Nussbaum and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2019-08-13 with total page 321 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Profound, beautifully written, and inspiring. It proves that Nussbaum deserves her reputation as one of the greatest modern philosophers.” —Globe and Mail “At a time of growing national chauvinism, Martha Nussbaum’s excellent restatement of the cosmopolitan tradition is a welcome and much-needed contribution...Illuminating and thought-provoking.” —Times Higher Education The cosmopolitan political tradition in Western thought begins with the Greek Cynic Diogenes, who, when asked where he came from, said he was a citizen of the world. Rather than declare his lineage, social class, or gender, he defined himself as a human being, implicitly asserting the equal worth of all human beings. Martha Nussbaum pursues this “noble but flawed” vision and confronts its inherent tensions. The insight that politics ought to treat human beings both as equal and as having a worth beyond price is responsible for much that is fine in the modern Western political imagination. Yet given the global prevalence of material want, the conflicting beliefs of a pluralistic society, and the challenge of mass migration and asylum seekers, what political principles should we endorse? The Cosmopolitan Tradition urges us to focus on the humanity we share rather than on what divides us. “Lucid and accessible...In an age of resurgent nationalism, a study of the idea and ideals of cosmopolitanism is remarkably timely.” —Ryan Patrick Hanley, Journal of the History of Philosophy
Download or read book The Mainstream of Western Political Thought written by Judith Best and published by . This book was released on 1997 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The central argument of this book is that Western political philosophy is a coherent tradition dominated by an agreement that the nature of man should serve as the standard for evaluating political things. Although the philosophers of the Western political tradition are all original thinkers whose theories are alternatives to each other, and although there are actual and serviceable distinctions between the ancient and modern periods, these differences ultimately must be transcended in order to answer the question-what constitutes the coherence or mainstream of the Western political tradition? Despite the significant disagreements among them, these philosophers agreed that the mainstream is defined by declaring that man has a nature, that his nature is ascertainable, and that his nature is the appropriate standard for evaluating political problems and prescribing remedies for political defects. The political community exists for man. It is an instrument of his happiness. Therefore, the mainstream is agreed that political life is, or can be, good, and that to live apolitically, outside the political community, is to live improperly and dysfunctionally. Finally, the mainstream is agreed that the rule of law is a very high thing because the rule of law is the means by which most men can live a decent and perhaps even a rational life. Contents: Preface; Western Political Philosophy: The Quest; The Ancients: The Discovery of a Standard; The Ancients: Political Things are Natural; The Ancients: The Art of Government; The Moderns: The Alteration of the Standard; The Moderns: Political Things are Conventional; The Moderns: The Science of Government; The Crosscurrent; The Principles of the Mainstream of Western Political Thought; Notes; Suggested Readings; Index.
Download or read book Western Political Thought written by Brian R. Nelson and published by Waveland Press. This book was released on 2015-01-29 with total page 407 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Written simply and directly—but without sacrificing intellectual depth—this widely acclaimed text explores the preeminent theorists of Western political thought from the pre-Socratics to the contemporary era. The author provides an in-depth analysis of a limited number of major thinkers, which allows for a richly detailed examination of each philosopher in historical context. Western Political Thought, Second Edition, presents the fundamental terms, ideas, and dilemmas of Western political philosophy in a straightforward, easy-to-understand manner. It organizes the theorists historically, explains basic concepts in depth, and draws out and analyzes the implications of various political theories. Moreover, this cohesive volume employs an overarching theme, examining each thinker in terms of the changing relationships of ethics and politics in Western political philosophy.
Download or read book A History of Western Political Thought written by J. S. McClelland and published by Psychology Press. This book was released on 1996 with total page 828 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An energetic, engaged and lucid account of the most important political thinkers and enduring themes of the last two and a half millenia. McClelland presents original and controversial views of both canonical and neglected theorists.
Download or read book Western Political Philosophers written by Maurice William Cranston and published by . This book was released on 1964 with total page 132 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Short studies of leading figures including Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Burke, Hegel, Marx and Mill.
Download or read book Research Handbook on the History of Political Thought written by Cary J. Nederman and published by Edward Elgar Publishing. This book was released on 2024-06-05 with total page 500 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This insightful Handbook reviews the key frameworks guiding political scientists and historians of political thought. Comprehensive in scope, it covers historical methodology, traditions, epochs, and classic authors and texts, spanning from ancient Greece until the nineteenth century.
Download or read book A Short History of Western Political Thought written by W. M. Spellman and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2017-09-16 with total page 197 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This brief narrative survey of political thought over the past two millennia explores key ideas that have shaped Western political traditions. Beginning with the Ancient Greeks' classical emphasis on politics as an independent sphere of activity, the book goes on to consider the medieval and early modern Christian views of politics and its central role in providing spiritual leadership. Concluding with a discussion of present-day political thought, W. M. Spellman explores the return to the ancient understanding of political life as a more autonomous sphere, and one that doesn't relate to anything beyond the physical world. Setting the work of major and lesser-known political philosophers within its historical context, the book offers a balanced and considered overview of the topic, taking into account the religious values, inherited ideas and social settings of the writers. Assuming no prior knowledge and written in a highly accessible style, A Short History of Western Political Thought is ideal for those seeking to develop an understanding of this fascinating and important subject.
Download or read book Adam Smith and Modernity written by Alberto Burgio and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2023-03-20 with total page 402 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume features 19 original chapters on Adam Smith’s conception of modernity. The contributions demonstrate the relevance of Smith as the great interpreter of modernity 250 years after the publication of The Wealth of Nations. The chapters in Part 1 focus on structural aspects of Smith’s work. They cover topics such as Smith as the theorist of a spontaneous order, the systematic dimension of Smith’s theoretical construction, and Smith’s role as a historian of economic thought. Part 2 addresses Smith’s conception of modern subjectivity between Lectures on Rhetoric and Belles-Lettres, Theory of Moral Sentiments, and Wealth of Nations. Here the contributors consider the figure of the Smithian "merchant" and the importance of ridicule and satire for understanding modern civility, and comment on the role of sympathy, imagination, and moral judgement in developing a sense of self, the condition of the modern man in society, and the virtue of self-command. Part 3 focuses on the crucial question of the relationship between ethics and economics discussing the link between efficiency, equity and justice, the nature of Smith's theory of value, and the ethical connotation of Smith's critique. Part 4 deals with topics inherent to the functional dynamics and development process of the Smithian "commercial society." These topics include law and authority, the relationship between work and freedom, the parable of the "poor man's son," and the economic and political consequences of the new secular orthodoxy. Finally, the chapters in Part 5 explore themes related to history and the Smithian idea of progress. They focus on the link between trade and progress of civilization, Smith’s modern sociological vision of mass commercial societies, Smith's judgement on “savage” and premodern societies, and the controversial question of the immanentistic or providentialist perspective from which Smith considers both the social dynamics and the historical process. Adam Smith and Modernity will appeal to scholars and advanced students on 18th-century philosophy, the history of economic thought, and the history of social and political philosophy.
Download or read book Stoicism and the Statehouse written by Pat McGeehan and published by Wythe-North Publishing. This book was released on 2017-06-12 with total page 188 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over the span of two thousand years, the Stoic philosophy has helped men and women overcome adversity from the highest positions of power to the darkest corners of prison. In Stoicism and the Statehouse, State Representative Pat McGeehan draws upon the classics to make the case for this durable method of reasoning to effectively advance political freedom. Designed for the liberty-oriented statesman, the moral traditions of this mental discipline are used to offer advice on how elected leaders should ethically conduct themselves underneath any capitol dome. Included is a fresh look at ancient Rome's greatest senator, Cato the Younger--a riveting biography that history fans will appreciate. The crisp explanation of Stoicism will also pique the interest of readers who enjoy early Greek and Roman thought. Although the author proposes a recipe to reform the politician, anyone facing personal struggles can benefit from the principles described in this book. Pat McGeehan is a three-term state representative in the West Virginia Legislature. A graduate of the US Air Force Academy, he is the author of Printing Our Way to Poverty: The Consequences of American Inflation, as well as co-author of The Liberty Essays: Restoring a Lost American Principle. Pat resides with his daughter Kennedy in Chester, West Virginia.
Download or read book The Hellenistic Stoa written by Andrew Erskine and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 233 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Stoicism, which came to be closely identified with the Roman establishment, began as a radical doctrine. Indeed Zeno, the first Stoic (335-263BC), embarrassed his Roman successors by advocating the abolition of money, private property and marriage. How did this change come about? Dr Erskine pieces together the evidence for early Stoic political thought to examine the transition. He sets the philosophy in its historical context showing how political thought and action interrelate in the process. Chapters discuss Stoic attitudes to slavery, Roman imperialism, property and justice, as well as specific cases of political participation such as in third-century Athenian politics, the Spartan revolution and the land reform programme. There has been increasing interest in Hellenistic philosophy. This is the first book to treat in depth the Stoic attitude to society within the context of its political environment."--Bloomsbury Publishing.
Download or read book Stoicism written by Steven K. Strange and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 295 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The contributors recruited for this volume include some of the leading international scholars of Stoicism as well as experts in later periods of philosophy. They trace the impact of Stoicism and Stoic ideas from late antiquity through the medieval and modern periods. The story that emerges testifies to the power of Stoic philosophy - its ability to appeal even as the voices of the original thinkers are silent. This volume documents one of the most important minority reports in the history of Western philosophy."--Jacket.
