Temporada 1
Jean-Jacques Rousseau: The Social Contrast
John Locke: Second Treatise
Thomas Hobbes: Leviathan
Martha Nussbaum: Women and Human Development
Robert Nozick: Anarchy, State, and Utopia
In this episode take a look into Rousseau's slightly more optimistic take on the state of nature. What is the natural state of man? What does Rousseau mean when he claims that sovereignty is "inalienable" and "indivisible"? Can the general will be wrong? What makes a decree a law?
How does Locke define political power? What is its primary purpose? What is the state of nature? How does one come to possess property in the state of nature?
Travel back to who these theorists were responding to starting with Thomas Hobbes and his Leviathan. How does Hobbes define the "Right of Nature" (Jus Naturale)? According to Hobbes, what is the difference between "Right" and "Law"? What distinguishes a "Contract" from a "Free-gift" in Hobbesian thought? How does Hobbes define "Reason" and its role in human understanding?
What does Nussbaum identify as the central question asked by the capabilities approach? How does this question differ from those asked by traditional resource-based or utility-based approaches to development? What are "missing women" as described by Amartya Sen. What are the implications of this concept for understanding gender inequality in development? Why does Nussbaum argue that capability, rather than functioning, should be the primary political goal? How does Nussbaum differentiate between "internal capabilities" and "basic capabilities"? According to Nussbaum, what is the relationship between capabilities and human rights?
In stark contrast with Rawls theory dive into Nozicks libertarian theory. How does Nozick argue that a minimal state can arise without violating anyone's rights? What are the two crucial necessary conditions for an organization to be considered a state, according to Nozick What is the difference between a "minimal state" and an "ultraminimal state"? Why does Nozick argue that individuals have a right to punish, even if doing so does not maximize utility?
The first season of this podcast is on political theory starting off with John Rawls A Theory of Justice. What is the "original position," and why does Rawls believe it is a suitable starting point for deriving principles of justice? What are primary goods, and how do they differ from other conceptions of goods in moral philosophy? How does Rawls’ conception of justice differ from utilitarianism? What is the difference between "natural duties" and obligations arising from social contracts, according to Rawls?