Skip to main content

Contemporary political philosophy




One of the most frequently used textbooks in political philosophy these days is by WIll Kymlicka, a professor at Queen's University in Toronto. Photo of Kymlicka here. 

Here, just for nothing, is its table of contents:

1. Introduction
2. Utilitarianism
3. Liberal Equality
4. Libertarianism
5. Marxism
6. Communitarianism
7. Citizenship Theory
8. Multiculturalism
9. Feminism

If you're looking for me to say something profound about that ... I got nothing.  But if you've got a kid or grandkid in college going for a political science degree, he or she will probably have either that table of contents or something similar in front of nose.  

 


Comments

  1. I have great respect for University of Toronto. My brother worked there, for a time, after emigrating, and before grounding himself with a family of his own; renouncing US citizenship and becoming Canadian .The order of those milestones is unimportant. That U of T has become a center of advanced learning, IMHO, IS important. Donald Trump's America had best leave Canada---and Greenland---and Denmark, alone. Have I left anyone out? I'm sure I have...
    no worries, mates.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good bless your brother. And as for Canada, "true patriot love from all your sons command" as the song says.

      Delete
  2. I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease four years ago and spent over two years on Levodopa and other medications, but my symptoms continued to worsen. Last year, I decided to try a herbal treatment from NaturePath Herbal Clinic. Within a few months, my tremors reduced, my movement improved, and my balance became steadier. I regained energy and confidence and now feel better than I have in years. I truly recommend exploring their natural approach: www.naturepathherbalclinic.com
    info@naturepathherbalclinic.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. There are herbal therapies that could totally eradicate HIV/AIDS from the body. Just Like Herbalist Dr Razor Traditional Medicines, there have been proofs and lots of testimonies to that effect. I took my time to investigate this Herbalist Dr Razor Products on how his herbs Effectively cured my friend Patterson and his girlfriend who contracted this embarrassing Virus As well and Lupus. I was astonished which made me other for the product, I am glad to be fully cured of HIV/AIDS . Do not let doubt hinder you from being healthy again. This herbalist Dr Razor is a genuine man , Contact Herbalist Dr Razor via his email: drrazorherbalhome@gmail.com . TELEPHONE him +2349065420442 .

    Please do not die in pains while Allowing doubt to make you lose this opportunity

    ReplyDelete
  4. A gentle reminder, to whomever this may concern: I don't think this blog is an advertising or testimonial forum. It is a philosophy forum, in my humble opinion. And, no, I did not consult the blog moderator. If that source disagrees with this content, I am pretty sure it will be rejected.
    No worries.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Searle: The Chinese Room

John Searle has become the object of accusations of improper conduct. These accusations even have some people in the world of academic philosophy saying that instructors in that world should try to avoid teaching Searle's views. That is an odd contention, and has given rise to heated exchanges in certain corners of the blogosphere.  At Leiter Reports, I encountered a comment from someone describing himself as "grad student drop out." GSDO said: " This is a side question (and not at all an attempt to answer the question BL posed): How important is John Searle's work? Are people still working on speech act theory or is that just another dead end in the history of 20th century philosophy? My impression is that his reputation is somewhat inflated from all of his speaking engagements and NYRoB reviews. The Chinese room argument is a classic, but is there much more to his work than that?" I took it upon myself to answer that on LR. But here I'll tak...

A Story About Coleridge

This is a quote from a memoir by Dorothy Wordsworth, reflecting on a trip she took with two famous poets, her brother, William Wordsworth, and their similarly gifted companion, Samuel Taylor Coleridge.   We sat upon a bench, placed for the sake of one of these views, whence we looked down upon the waterfall, and over the open country ... A lady and gentleman, more expeditious tourists than ourselves, came to the spot; they left us at the seat, and we found them again at another station above the Falls. Coleridge, who is always good-natured enough to enter into conversation with anybody whom he meets in his way, began to talk with the gentleman, who observed that it was a majestic waterfall. Coleridge was delighted with the accuracy of the epithet, particularly as he had been settling in his own mind the precise meaning of the words grand, majestic, sublime, etc., and had discussed the subject with William at some length the day before. “Yes, sir,” says Coleridge, “it is a maj...

Five Lessons from the Allegory of the Cave

  Please correct me if there are others. But it seems to be there are five lessons the reader is meant to draw from the story about the cave.   First, Plato  is working to devalue what we would call empiricism. He is saying that keeping track of the shadows on the cave wall, trying to make sense of what you see there, will NOT get you to wisdom. Second, Plato is contending that reality comes in levels. The shadows on the wall are illusions. The solid objects being passed around behind my back are more real than their shadows are. BUT … the world outside the the cave is more real than that — and the sun by which that world is illuminated is the top of the hierarchy. So there isn’t a binary choice of real/unreal. There are levels. Third, he equates realness with knowability.  I  only have opinions about the shadows. Could I turn around, I could have at least the glimmerings of knowledge. Could I get outside the cave, I would really Know. Fourth, the parable a...