POLI 107 1st EditionExam # 2 Study Guide Legacy of Plato &Aristotle:- No immediate impact on political affairs - Perfected the theory of the city-state- Failure of city-states to live up to ideals inspired criticism- Questions arose over moral significance of the city-state- Failure of the city-state freed the virtuous and wise from their obligation to participate in politics on behalf of the greater good- Pursuit of the good life became a private endeavor furthered by withdrawing from politicsThe Cynics:- Questioned the extent to which citizenship benefited the individual, stripping the city-state of its moral force- Happiness rests with the individual, who must reject the trappings of material life- Wise men are completely self-sufficing- Self-sufficiency is a product of thought and character, not social and material goods- Enlarged scope of association to a single community- a city of the world- Cynics were better critics than philosophers- Rejection of wealth and promotion of equality appealed to the socially marginalized- Enlarged scope of political theory beyond the city-state, reexamining human wants and needsThe Epicureans:- Like the Cynics, Epicureans located self-sufficiency in the individual - Self-sufficiency involved the enjoyment of pleasure and avoidance of pain- Also like the Cynics, Epicureans turned their back on politics- Human behavior is egoistic, guided primarily by self-interestThese notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.- State’s role involved security to facilitate peaceful social interaction- Whatever did no harm was permissible- Human agency is the source of all political and social institutions- no God; no nature- Wisdom = realization of human agency (allows us to do what we want to do)- Man was not naturally social. Social life based on pleasure onlyStoicism:- Rose to prominence in 3rd century Athens, thanks to Chrysippus the Stoa- Self-sufficiency could be taught through a rigorous training of will in resolution, fortitude, devotion to duty and indifference to pleasure- Stoics believed in the supreme power of God, who bestowed upon man his calling; a role he must fulfill no matter what- Everything has a place in the natural order. To experience moral perfection, one must participate fully- One must submit the human will to God and exercise one’s higher faculties (reason) to contemplate upon and understand the natural order- Reason is the spark of divine fire in the souls of men- The basis of community is humanity- a universal community of men rather than states, orclasses or families- Humankind is united by right reason, which teaches us what is just and unjust- Political communities are fictions - Wise men require no political institutions- Fundamental task of politics is to cultivate our highest human traits so that we may free ourselves from ignorance and achieve true self-sufficiency and individual happiness- Until this happens, state must look to the laws of nature, which are expressions of God’s will, in order to make customary laws and establish moral order in cityCicero:- Cicero was a failure in practical terms. He sought the restoration of the Roman Republic and his political theory served this end- Cicero’s impact on political theory stems from his incorporation of Stoicism into the Western canon- God has bestowed upon man a universal law of nature and it is through reasons that men may understand the law of nature- The law of nature binds all men regardless of particular political associations- Law of nature legitimizes human laws and institutions - Law of nature is also the basis for equality- We are all equally obligated to understand and pursue the Good w/o obstructing others who are doing the same- The state must enable the enjoyment of a moral life- General Implications:o Authority of the state is the reflection of the power of the peopleo Political power is rightly exercised according to lawo The right exercise of political power is only ever in accordance with the law of nature- Cicero defines the commonwealth as the “property of the people”, but not just any collection of peopleo “… but an assemblage of people in large numbers associated in an agreement withrespect to justice and a partnership for the common good.” (124)- What is the basis of agreement upon justice as well as the origins of this motive impulse to promote the common good?o “True law is right reason in agreement with nature; it is of universal application, unchanging and everlasting; it summons to duty by its commands and averts fromwrongdoing by its prohibitions.” (125)o “There will not be different laws at Rome and at Athens, or different laws now and in the future, but one eternal and unchangeable law will be valid for all nations and all times, and there will be one master and ruler, that is, God, over us all, for he is author of this law, its promulgator and its enforcing judge.” (125) God is the origin of natural law Natural law is superior to human law and human law should incorporate natural law- What is the application for custom?o “The most foolish notion of all is the belief that everything is just which is found in the customs or law of nations” (126)o “Those who share in law must also share in justice; and those who share there are to be regarded as members of the same commonwealth. If indeed they obey the same authorities and powers, this is true in a far greater degree; but as a matter of fact they do obey this celestial system, the divine mind, and the God of transcendent power. Hence we must now conceive of this whole universe as one commonwealth of which both gods and men are members.” (126)- In what ways are men equal, according to Cicero?o “Since law is the bond which unites the civic association and the justice enforced by law is the same for all, by what justice can be an association of citizens be heldtogether when there is no equality among the citizens? For if we cannot agree to equalize men’s wealth and equality of innate ability is impossible, the legal rights at least of those who are citizens of the same commonwealth ought to be equal.” (125)o Though men may be unequal in possessions and “innate ability”, men are equal before the laws of nature and therefore must also be made equal before the laws of a particular stateSeneca:- Wrote in the early years of the Roman Empire and