Begin preparing for this class by thinking about the questions you prepared for class on Friday. You were thinking about what you needed to know about the society which produced Euripides' contrast between Democracy and Despotism, and Pericles' Funeral Oration.
We're going to begin our work in Sherman and Salisbury's The West in the World, commencing with Chapter 2., pp. 42-79. But I don't want you to begin that chapter at the beginning. Rather, start with the Summary which begins on p. 78, which begins:
Small city-states nestled in the mountains of the Greek peninsula rerouted the course of Western Civilization. These fiercely independent cities developed particular forms of government that encouraged men to take active roles in all aspects of their cities....
Based on the summary, is this chapter likely to increase your understanding of the two essays you just finished in The Democratic Idea? If so (and I hope you agree that this is likely), proceed to the Analyze this Chapter section below. Read the paragraph beginning with "Chapter 2 --" Does this confirm the likelihood that there is pertinent information here? If it does, (and I hope it does), proceed to the questions following. Typically, review questions follow the sequence of ideas in the chapter itself. Look at the five questions and figure out which are most concerned with ideas you need to master. Once you have made this determination, you will know which sections of Chapter 2 deserve most of your attention.
Now proceed to scan the typographic conventions which mark the divisions of the text. You'll probably identify at least three:
Large Colored type, centered in the column,
Black type using Large and Small Capitals proceeded by a graphic device,
and Italic type extending into the margins, and backed by a light background.
Use these to plan a reading strategy. Which of the major sections of the chapter seem most pertinent? Which seem safe to skip entirely, or at least in part?
Which of the sub-sections (including sub-sections in the major sections which you've determined can be skipped in part) do you need to look at with some care? Which of the paragraphs marked by the highlighted text do you need to master, even if the rest of the sub-sections in which they are included seem to be less important?
As you do this, either make a list or mark up your text, depending on what works best for you.
Next, return to the beginning of the chapter and read those marked sections carefully. Are your principal questions answered, and do you have a better understanding of the ideas in our two core texts? If so, you're more or less done. If you have any remaining questions, refer to the index in the back of the book. Still worried about some things? Make a questions out of these and bring them with you to class. This is the technique you will be using for the remainder of the semester.
Class discussion will focus on the nature of the Greek cultures which produced the first democratic model. You'll use ideas you pick up in Sherman and Salisbury as well as ideas from The Democratic Idea to participate in the discussion. Be aware that S & S provides some information which sheds light on Kaplan, as well (you'll find the structure of Spartan government outlined there). Your questions and assertions should reflect this focus.
For Friday, September 28,
Read, in The Democratic Idea,
#4: Democratic Judgment and the "Middling" Constitution, (Aristotle) pp. 11-14
Aristotle, as imagined by the great Renaissance artist Michelangelo Click on the picture for a link to the introduction of a discussion of his political philosophy, by Clifford A. Bates, Ph. D. For links to the rest of the essay, CLICK HERE.
You already have a pretty good idea about the content of S & S #2. However, the essay by Aristotle may raise new questions in your mind. Once you have some sense of what you need in terms of additional context in order to understand Aristotle's thought, scan Chapter 2 once more.
Our discussion will turn our attention to some questions of the relationship between the Greek Democratic Idea and the American Democratic Idea. Among the many ideas we may need to consider are these: In what ways are Greek ideas attractive to us today in what ways unattractive? What differences are there between classic Greece and contemporary America which make Greek Democracy inapplicable in its original form? What types of modifications could be made to retain the best of the Greek Idea while adapting it to American conditions? Does Aristotle's thought point towards some sort of solution? (Hint: How does he want to limit the participation of the "average" citizen?) Questions and assertions can relate to these issues.
Think, too, about Aristotle's attempt to find a position between extremes. Why is the middle the best?
