Wesson
Lecture 2004-2005
The
Democratic Animal: Nature, History, and Politics
Josiah
Ober
Classics
Department, Princeton
November
9, 2004, 5:30 pm
Aristotle's
Natural Democracy
November
11, 2004, 5:30pm
Democracy and Happiness
Discussants:
Chris Bobonich
-- Philosophy, Stanford University
Bernard
Yack -- Politics, Brandeis University
Professor Ober will explore the problem of the relationship
between democracy and human (political) nature. The very notion
of "human nature" is of course contested, and political
theorists generally just ignore it. But both the Aristotelian
tradition and modern developments in behavioral psychology and
comparative anthropology point to this as a topic that requires
serious thought. Professor Ober begins by arguing that Aristotle
believed the political regime of the natural polis to be a form
of democracy and continues by asking whether Aristotle is right
to suppose that the natural human community is a type of democracy.
Lectures
held in Bldg 370, Room 370.
Discussion
seminar held in Bldg 460, Rm 426.
______________________________________________________
Information
on Past Wesson Lectures
Wesson
Lecture 2005-2006
Wesson
Lecture 2004-2005
Wesson
Lecture 2003-2004
Wesson
Lecture 2002-2003
Wesson
Lecture 2001-2002
Wesson Lecture 2000-2001
