PHIL 474.001 – Foundations of Modern Political Philosophy

Instructor: Gerald J. Postema. This course meets R 4:00 – 6:30 p.m. in CW 213.

This course explores the beginnings of modern political philosophy from the late medieval period to the early seventeenth century. It focuses attention on key concepts and principles of modern political philosophy—authority, law, rights, property, justice, the idea of commonwealth or political community, popular sovereignty ,and the rule of law or constitutionalism—and seeks to enrich our understanding of these ideas by tracing their development in medieval, renaissance, and early seventeenth century political philosophy. Among philosophers to be considered are Aquinas, Marsilius of Padua, Ockham, Bodin, Althusius, Suarez, and Grotius.