Before the weekend meets us, I wanted to ask you all two questions that I didn't take the time to do during our class yesterday...please respond before class meets on MONDAY 9/9:
1. Why did you take this class?
2. Do you believe there can be an ideal government--briefly describe what that would look like OR why there can't be one.
I took this class because I was interested in the philosophy that is at the basis of our government. I grew up hearing from my parents that philosophers like Aristotle and Plato were the most brilliant men of all time, but I didn't know much about them. When I realized that Political Theory would be focused on the philosophy behind government, the class sparked my attention. In taking the class, I hope to expand my view on politics and think in a more abstract way.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that any government can be ideal. Each individual person in a society has a different view of what an ideal government is and what an ideal government should do. Because each person's opinion is different, it is impossible to create a government that pleases everyone. In addition, governments face problems every day, and it is very unlikely that they will respond to every single problem with the correct actions. Governments, like people, always make mistakes. Because of these mistakes and that individuals cannot agree on what the right type of government is, there is no ideal government.
I took this class because I am curious to learn about the ethics and philosophy behind government. I'd like to explore the reasonings that mold different governments in order to compare and dissect the methods of politics that exist.
ReplyDeleteI don't think an ideal government is achievable because, as Kassie wrote above, viewpoints on how to ideally govern vary among individuals. An ideal government would have to take into account the needs and wants of every citizen. The distinction between right and wrong is often ambiguous, so judgement on the morality/legitimacy of a government and its actions is left to the individual. However, I believe that if an ideal government were to exist it would emphasize and promote freedom of the individual.
I took this class because I was intrigued by philosophies that drive governments. I had learned a bit about philosophers before and had really enjoyed reading about their various ideas, but until now never had the opportunity to take a class solely based on some type of philosophy. When talking to someone about whether or not I should take the class, they immediately said the knowledge gained from a political theory course is something you can apply throughout college and the rest of your life, and that I should definitely sign up for the course.
ReplyDeleteI don't think there can be one ideal government. There are simply too many people with such vast wants and opinions that trying to great the ideal government for each and every individual would not be possible.
I took this class because I am interested in learning about the various forms of government around the world. I am intrigued by the vast differences I see in different governments. I think that knowing about politics and the philosophies that drive them is part of being a well-educated adult. I hope to finish the year with a better understanding of my stance towards governmental issues and a more open view of the different ways a nation can conduct itself. I have only heard good things about this course, and I believe it will benefit me as I am more exposed to governmental issues.
ReplyDeleteI do not think that an ideal government is possible. Controversy has surrounded government since the beginning of time, and I find it hard to imagine that this could ever change. Ultimately, there is no specific system of government that could satisfy the wants and needs of everyone.
I took this class because I am interested in the philosophical ideas that form both our government and governments around the world. I want to learn more about why our governing body functions the way it does. I have also heard from past students that Political Theory is an intriguing and rewarding class to take.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe that there can be an ideal government at our current stage of evolution. People are too individually-minded and varied for there to be a system in place that would completely satiate everyone's desires and interests.
The reason I took political theory is because I am interested in exploring the ideas behind the various systems of government. The government exists now as such an established structure that it can be easy to forget the ideals and values that went into the process of deciding how to best organize ourselves.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that every post has stated that an ideal government is impossible because of the multitude of ideas that are held within a society. I think that an ideal government is possible and its ability to address a plurality of ideas is exactly what makes it ideal. In fact, I think the American government is very close to ideal, in structure not necessarily policy. Obviously a current issue with the government has been the divisiveness of politics. There are certainly things that need to be fixed, but the U.S government gives a voice to the people through the right to vote and creates a separation of powers to protect the system against corruption. I do not think the function of government is to make everyone happy, merely to act in ways that best represent the will of the people as a whole.
1. Why did you take this class?
ReplyDeleteI enrolled in Political Theory for roughly three reasons; the first of which is that I have more or less always been interested in philosophy. Put simply, I enjoy thinking, debating and questioning especially with or about authority. I often ask myself, peers, and teachers "why" or "how come" and have reached few satisfying conclusions in doing so. My hope was that Political Theory could answer some of those questions but if history has taught me anything it is that more knowledge simply leads to more questions about what we think we already know and I am perfectly okay with and even excited about that prospect.
2. Do you believe there can be an ideal government--briefly describe what that would look like OR why there can't be one.
I think that there is an ideal government yet ironically it cannot exist. What I mean by this is that the ideal government is one in which its incumbents are so morally and ethically attuned that there is no need for any governmental structure at all. I suppose that in practice that means there cannot actually be an ideal government but I think striving for an ideal is an effective motivator for most people. Therefore, I would suggest that an ideal government is one that values and upholds the rights of all its citizens whatever those rights may be. Obviously the eternal struggle between liberty and security come into play strongly here but in short the objective again is to strive for the ideal because it will not and cannot be perfect just by vertue of the fact that it exists.