MAPP501: Week 1 – Early
Political Philosophers
American Public University
1 of 49
,Summa Theologiae by Thomas Aquinas:.........................................................6
Article I [III, Q. 1, Art. 1]:...............................................................................6
Main Question:...........................................................................................6
Objections:.................................................................................................6
Response:..................................................................................................6
Replies to the Objections:..........................................................................7
Conclusion:.................................................................................................7
Article II [III, Q. 1, Art. 2]:..............................................................................7
Main Question:...........................................................................................7
Objections:.................................................................................................7
Response:..................................................................................................8
Aquinas’ Answer:........................................................................................8
Why the Incarnation Was Fitting, For Doing Good:....................................8
Why the Incarnation Was Fitting, For Avoiding Evil:...................................8
Replies to the Objections:..........................................................................9
Conclusion:.................................................................................................9
Article III [III, Q. 1, Art. 3]:.............................................................................9
Question:....................................................................................................9
Objections:.................................................................................................9
On the Contrary (No):.................................................................................9
St. Thomas’s Answer (Sed Contra + Respondetur):.................................10
Replies to Objections:..............................................................................10
Conclusions:.............................................................................................10
Article IV [III, Q. 1, Art. 4]:...........................................................................11
Question:..................................................................................................11
Objections:...............................................................................................11
On the Contrary:......................................................................................11
Response:................................................................................................11
Replies to the Objections:........................................................................12
2 of 49
,Nicomachean Ethics, Book 1; Chapter 1 - 7 by Aristotle:...............................12
Key Concepts:.............................................................................................12
Chapter 1: All Human Activity Aims at Some Good.....................................12
Chapter 2: The Chief Good (Highest End)...................................................13
Chapter 3: The Nature of Ethical Inquiry.....................................................13
Chapter 4: Happiness as the Chief Good....................................................14
Chapter 5: Three Types of Life and Misconceptions of Happiness..............15
Chapter 6: Critique of a Single “Form of the Good”....................................16
Chapter 7: Defining the Chief Good – The Function Argument...................17
Key Takeaways for Studying:......................................................................19
Politics; Chapter 1 – 5 by Aristotle.................................................................23
Chapter 1:...................................................................................................23
Key Philosophical Concepts Introduced:...................................................24
Chapter 1 Continued:..................................................................................24
Key Philosophical Ideas Introduced:.........................................................25
Chapter 2:...................................................................................................26
Core Takeaways.......................................................................................27
Chapter 3:...................................................................................................27
Core Takeaways:......................................................................................29
Chapter 3 Continued:..................................................................................29
Core Takeaways:......................................................................................31
Chapter 4:...................................................................................................31
Final Definitions:......................................................................................33
Key Takeaways:.......................................................................................34
Chapter 5:...................................................................................................34
Democracy in America by Alexis De Tocqueville...........................................37
Major Themes...........................................................................................37
Key Chapters (Volume I)..........................................................................38
Notable Insights.......................................................................................38
Tocqueville’s Warnings and Hopes..........................................................38
3 of 49
, Second Treatise of Government by John Locke.............................................39
Overview..................................................................................................39
Key Themes.............................................................................................39
1. State of Nature..................................................................................39
2. Property............................................................................................39
3. Social Contract..................................................................................40
4. Legitimate Government....................................................................40
5. Tyranny and Revolution....................................................................40
Important Chapters & Concepts...............................................................40
Chapter II: Of the State of Nature.........................................................40
Chapter III: Of the State of War.............................................................40
Chapter V: Of Property..........................................................................40
Chapter VIII: Of the Beginning of Political Societies..............................41
Chapter XI: Of the Extent of the Legislative Power...............................41
Chapter XIX: Of the Dissolution of Government....................................41
Key Quotes...............................................................................................41
Legacy & Influence...................................................................................41
The Republic by Plato; Books VIII-IX...............................................................42
Overview...............................................................................................42
1. Aristocracy (Ideal State)....................................................................42
2. Timocracy..........................................................................................42
3. Oligarchy...........................................................................................42
4. Democracy........................................................................................43
5. Tyranny (Beginning)..........................................................................43
BOOK IX – The Tyrannical Man and the Worst Regime.............................43
Overview...............................................................................................43
The Tyrant’s Soul..................................................................................43
The Tyrant's Rise...................................................................................44
Tyranny as the Worst Regime...............................................................44
Three Kinds of Pleasure.........................................................................44
4 of 49
Political Philosophers
American Public University
1 of 49
,Summa Theologiae by Thomas Aquinas:.........................................................6
Article I [III, Q. 1, Art. 1]:...............................................................................6
Main Question:...........................................................................................6
Objections:.................................................................................................6
Response:..................................................................................................6
Replies to the Objections:..........................................................................7
Conclusion:.................................................................................................7
Article II [III, Q. 1, Art. 2]:..............................................................................7
Main Question:...........................................................................................7
Objections:.................................................................................................7
Response:..................................................................................................8
Aquinas’ Answer:........................................................................................8
Why the Incarnation Was Fitting, For Doing Good:....................................8
Why the Incarnation Was Fitting, For Avoiding Evil:...................................8
Replies to the Objections:..........................................................................9
Conclusion:.................................................................................................9
Article III [III, Q. 1, Art. 3]:.............................................................................9
Question:....................................................................................................9
Objections:.................................................................................................9
On the Contrary (No):.................................................................................9
St. Thomas’s Answer (Sed Contra + Respondetur):.................................10
Replies to Objections:..............................................................................10
Conclusions:.............................................................................................10
Article IV [III, Q. 1, Art. 4]:...........................................................................11
Question:..................................................................................................11
Objections:...............................................................................................11
On the Contrary:......................................................................................11
Response:................................................................................................11
Replies to the Objections:........................................................................12
2 of 49
,Nicomachean Ethics, Book 1; Chapter 1 - 7 by Aristotle:...............................12
Key Concepts:.............................................................................................12
Chapter 1: All Human Activity Aims at Some Good.....................................12
Chapter 2: The Chief Good (Highest End)...................................................13
Chapter 3: The Nature of Ethical Inquiry.....................................................13
Chapter 4: Happiness as the Chief Good....................................................14
Chapter 5: Three Types of Life and Misconceptions of Happiness..............15
Chapter 6: Critique of a Single “Form of the Good”....................................16
Chapter 7: Defining the Chief Good – The Function Argument...................17
Key Takeaways for Studying:......................................................................19
Politics; Chapter 1 – 5 by Aristotle.................................................................23
Chapter 1:...................................................................................................23
Key Philosophical Concepts Introduced:...................................................24
Chapter 1 Continued:..................................................................................24
Key Philosophical Ideas Introduced:.........................................................25
Chapter 2:...................................................................................................26
Core Takeaways.......................................................................................27
Chapter 3:...................................................................................................27
Core Takeaways:......................................................................................29
Chapter 3 Continued:..................................................................................29
Core Takeaways:......................................................................................31
Chapter 4:...................................................................................................31
Final Definitions:......................................................................................33
Key Takeaways:.......................................................................................34
Chapter 5:...................................................................................................34
Democracy in America by Alexis De Tocqueville...........................................37
Major Themes...........................................................................................37
Key Chapters (Volume I)..........................................................................38
Notable Insights.......................................................................................38
Tocqueville’s Warnings and Hopes..........................................................38
3 of 49
, Second Treatise of Government by John Locke.............................................39
Overview..................................................................................................39
Key Themes.............................................................................................39
1. State of Nature..................................................................................39
2. Property............................................................................................39
3. Social Contract..................................................................................40
4. Legitimate Government....................................................................40
5. Tyranny and Revolution....................................................................40
Important Chapters & Concepts...............................................................40
Chapter II: Of the State of Nature.........................................................40
Chapter III: Of the State of War.............................................................40
Chapter V: Of Property..........................................................................40
Chapter VIII: Of the Beginning of Political Societies..............................41
Chapter XI: Of the Extent of the Legislative Power...............................41
Chapter XIX: Of the Dissolution of Government....................................41
Key Quotes...............................................................................................41
Legacy & Influence...................................................................................41
The Republic by Plato; Books VIII-IX...............................................................42
Overview...............................................................................................42
1. Aristocracy (Ideal State)....................................................................42
2. Timocracy..........................................................................................42
3. Oligarchy...........................................................................................42
4. Democracy........................................................................................43
5. Tyranny (Beginning)..........................................................................43
BOOK IX – The Tyrannical Man and the Worst Regime.............................43
Overview...............................................................................................43
The Tyrant’s Soul..................................................................................43
The Tyrant's Rise...................................................................................44
Tyranny as the Worst Regime...............................................................44
Three Kinds of Pleasure.........................................................................44
4 of 49
