Political Authority

What makes political authority different from other kinds of authority such as parental authority, medical authority, or ecclesiastical authority?

Parental, medical, and ecclesiastical authorities have limits on which they are authoritative over. With authority in general there is this thing of ought, we do it because it is something we ought to do. Political authority has this obligation. Political Authority and Parental can force you to do something while as the others can not. Parental has a limited hold on until you are a parent, Political is forever.

Obligation Choice

Political/Parental Medical/Ecclesiastical

Expiration

Parental Ð'- Yes

Political Ð'- No

2. What does Hampton mean by saying that the claim to divine authority is empty? It is easy to claim but impossible to prove. How do you know what this divine authorization is, you can claim you have it but does that mean I actually have it. There is the part of persuasion and consent that needs to be given in order for divine authority.

3. What are the two kinds of justification that might be offered to support a natural subordination view of political authority? Entitlement in nature- no queen be in humanity. Against argument Macbeth "this way of thinking about the world mixes facts with norms: the world is a place where the relationship of objects, living and nonliving, is fixed by rules about what Ð''ought to be'- rules that nature is prepared to enforce in its own way. Consequentiality justification-some people don't reason as well as others. We do things a certain way because it is good for you and good for the community. Good for the subordinate and the subordinator. Against argument: Plato's idea about everyone needs to be given the equal education, the equal chance and see where it goes from there. (Hampton p 13)

4. How does Plato differ from Aristotle with regard to the suitability of women for political rule? Aristotle: Hampton p17 "again as between male and female, the former is by nature superior and ruler, the latter inferior and subject." Plato: Let the best man win.

5. What weaknesses is there to the Platonic view that authority to rule comes from knowledge of the Good? No one exists who has it; the god-like person doesn't exist. (p 27) How do we know that they are an expert, if we aren't experts we cannot know what an expert is, because we need to know the "form" in order to understand it? IF expert has knowledge and gives a command and it doesn't override the reasons of non-expert than they don't have authority. (p 4)

6. What evidence is there that Aristotle held a consent-based view of political authority?

Equals (discounting slaves)

no "natural" ruler (no gods among men)

government is a creation by the governed.

Purpose: meet needs and interests; self sufficiency: "happily and nobly" different people think of happiness differently (pg 30) and that gives rise to different constitutions.

People consent because they see their idea of happiness being fulfilled.

When people buy into the purpose of the state, they are consenting.

Communal notion of consent: they were indentified by their enemies/threat "Many men acting together make better decisions in political matters than even the best man" Plato is opposed of that.

7. In what ways is the art of politics similar to the art of weaving (Statesman)?

Human bond and divine bond-

Human bond is the marriage of the courageous and the moderate. That there needs to be a mixture in order for it to be

Divine

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