FINAL EXAM: 30% OF FINAL GRADE
Instructions: Be sure to answer the questions in full and in detail. Length of answers will vary, but you can expect at least 500 words per answer. ANSWER ALL 4 QUESTIONS AND CITE THE BOOKS.
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1) A common theme addressed by many of the authors in this course is the role of human nature in politics. Two thinkers from different time periods who have distinct views on the role of human nature are Aristotle and Machiavelli. Explain their thoughts on human nature and how it influences the political realm. How should leaders/states manage the natural impulses and desires of man?
2) Compare and contrast the Ancient Greek and Ancient Roman conceptions of the state. How do Plato and Cicero define key terms, such as citizenship, virtue, and state? And how do these affect their notions of an ideal form of government?
3) Two concepts addressed by many of the thinkers we have read this semester are virtue and self-interest. Explain the views of at least one ancient and one medieval thinker in regard to these concepts. Are these concepts contradictory? How did these thinkers’ relative time periods likely influence their ideas?
4) Justice is a difficult term to define and thinkers from various time periods have different conceptions of the term. Choose at least two thinkers we have read this semester and explain in detail how they define what justice is and the role of the state in administering justice. Are these ancient/medieval ideas obsolete or do you think their conceptions of the term are useful in modern times as well?
BOOKS USED IN CLASS:
ATTACHED IN A SEPARATE DOCUMENT. MOST IMPORTANT ONES:
- THE REPUBLIC AND POLITICS BY PLATO
- ARISTOTLE AND LAW
- MELIAN DIALOGUE BY THUCYDIDES
- THE PRINCE BY MACHIAVELLI
HOWEVER, ALL THESE PHILOSOPHERS HAVE BEEN TOUCHED UPON IN CLASS, PLEASE CITE!!!
RUBRIC:
| Final Exam Rubric | ||
| Criteria | Ratings | Pts |
| This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeStudent addresses each part of the question directly with a clear and well-defined argument | 7.5 to >7.0 pts Excellent 7.0 to >6.5 pts Very Good 6.5 to >6.0 pts Good 6.0 to >5.5 pts Fair 5.5 to >0 pts Incomplete/Does Not Meet Expectations | 7.5 pts |
| This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeStudent thoughtfully engages with the course readings by drawing relevant comparisons among authors | 7.5 to >7.0 pts Excellent 7.0 to >6.5 pts Very Good 6.5 to >6.0 pts Good 6.0 to >5.5 pts Fair 5.5 to >0 pts Incomplete/Does Not Meet Expectations | 7.5 pts |
| This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeStudent explains the readings in their proper historical context | 7.5 to >7.0 pts Excellent 7.0 to >6.5 pts Very Good 6.5 to >6.0 pts Good 6.0 to >5.5 pts Fair 5.5 to >0 pts Incomplete/Does Not Meet Expectations | 7.5 pts |
| This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeStudent uses appropriate examples to relate concepts in the readings and demonstrate their impacts on modern politics | 7.5 to >7.0 pts Excellent 7.0 to >6.5 pts Very Good 6.5 to >6.0 pts Good 6.0 to >5.5 pts Fair 5.5 to >0 pts Incomplete/Does Not Meet Expectations | 7.5 pts |
| Total Points: 30.0 |
