A Student's Guide to Political Philosophy (Isi Guides to the Major Disciplines)

By Harvey Mansfield Jr. and Harvey C Mansfield

Book Overview

Hidden within every political debate--in legislatures, on radio talk shows, and even in coffee shops--is an implicit philosophy of the polity, or a particular understanding of the limits and possibilities of human life in community. Harvard University's Harvey C. Mansfield, one of America's preeminent political theorists, here provides a compelling account of the philosophers who have shaped our fundamental views of politics through the ages. In an era when "partisanship" is deplored, Mansfield shows that taking sides in disputes about the common good is a permanent part of politics; and it is the place to begin in the quest for wisdom concerning the human things.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1882926439
• ISBN13: 9781882926435
• Release Date: December 2000
• Publisher: Intercollegiate Studies Institute
• Length: 58 Pages
• Weight: 0.23 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 4.9" x 7.7"

Customer Reviews

not much to it

There is not much to this book. Spend your time and money on something better.

Just a guide

The book is a brief chronological account of Western political thought interspersed with some of the author's thoughts. I was disappointed at first when I realized how short this book I had bought was because I was hoping for some meaty reading, but I realized that the main purpose of this book is to direct the reader to the actual texts. Mansfield gives a short list at the end of the book of the best translations.

speedy with a good eye

I was very pleased with the time it took to arrive to my place since my order. The book was also in good condition and any faults it had were clearly marked and assessed with an accurate eye on the web page. thanks for a speedy mail! p.s. the price was remarkable!

Fine, if somewhat short....

This book is a very short summary of political philosophy. Perhaps it is wrong in assuming that a student would not be able to read about this subject in greater detail. After reading this, though, one will want to know more about political philosophy, why one can be both politically active and philosophical, and why politics is important to students, and not just leftist politics. Also, one wonders which political philosophy the author has, as he seems to comment wryly on both conservatism and liberalism with great acuity. A fine read, if somewhat incomplete.

The very best guide to the subject

Harvard University Professor Harvey C. Mansfield, Jr., is well known within the discipline of political theory as one of the great figures of our time. Profoundly influenced by Leo Strauss, he also brings to his work a concern for the institutions of constitutional democracy which was a staple at Harvard during the era of Carl Friedrich. He has made original contributions to the study of Machiavelli and recently completed a translation of, and commentary on, Tocqueville's Democracy in America.Mansfield's lectures on ancient, medieval, and modern political philosophy are famously dense and provocative, forcing students to confront the deepest problems posed by some of the greatest minds in Western history. In this remarkable guide, Mansfield conveys with subtle precision the contours, the twists and turns, that political philosophy has taken over the centuries, from Plato to Nietzsche.For any student of political philosophy, this is the place to begin. This slim book can be read at a single sitting, but what Mansfield has to say may keep you thinking for the rest of your life.