NationStates Jolt Archive

For such a politically oriented forum, there doesn't seem to be much actual discussion of political philosophy or theory. So, I'm going to set out on a series of threads to discuss various political philosophers.

But first, just how well read are you in political philosophy?

For such a politically oriented forum, there doesn't seem to be much actual discussion of political philosophy or theory. So, I'm going to set out on a series of threads to discuss various political philosophers.

But first, just how well read are you in political philosophy?

My knowledge mostly is due to a LD debate crash course, but I'm able to BS my way through the rest.

Not very. I'm much more interested in the practical appliciations rather than the theory.

I have good GENERAL knowledge of political schools of thought from ancient chinese leagalism to anarchism (I met an anarchist at camp this summer who, during a debate about the CIA leak case, said she wanted to know the exact adress of every CIA operative:rolleyes: ), but I wouldn't stand up in a head-on debate with someone deeply familiar with the subject. History counts though, so I have that going for me:D !
Still, I also am interested in application at least as much as theory.

Somewhat. Slept through a few courses.. maybe I can help if I was awake that day.. I'm spotty on authors though.

I did most of my political science course work in the field, and have continued to read in it.

Not well versed at all. I have a rather grass-roots view on politics- no formal training at all, only my opinions and observations. The most developed my political philosophy gets is this: Humans are imperfect. Sometimes, people are really, really stupid. Dictatorships don't work, because if the one person on top happens to be really, really stupid, the entire country's screwed. Best to diffuse political power over as many people as possible, so that and grand stupidity is likewise diffused and rendered almost irrelevent. Yay, democracy!

Beyond that, I'm guided by my own thoughts and feelings on individual issues that, hopefully, resolve themselves into a unified whole- not by any fantasies of the ideal political model. This is probably related to the fact that philosophy makes my head hurt- it's mainly a lot of pointless speculation, as nothing can be proven and few things can be demonstrated.

i voted fairly extensive. i got the undergrad, but not the grad (yet). but dear lord have i done a bunch of reading.

I ponder moral philosophy quite a bit, I think about it more than just about anything else. However, I have never been that motivated to go out and discover established moral philosophies or the beliefs of famous philosophers.

Not as much as I would have liked to of read (or should have read).

I voted "some - a few undergraduate level courses on the subject or equivilant." But I feel that I should have read more. And more relevent books (to my course). Though not all that bad, I seem to have a lot more than others on my course, which kinda shocks me.