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PLSC 114: Introduction to Political Philosophy

Lecture 14 - The Sovereign State: Hobbes, Leviathan. The concept of sovereignty is discussed in Hobbesian terms. For Hobbes, "the sovereign" is an office rather than a person, and can be characterized by what we have come to associate with executive power and executive authority. Hobbes' theories of laws are also addressed and the distinction he makes between "just laws" and "good laws." The lecture ends with a discussion of Hobbes' ideas in the context of the modern state. (from oyc.yale.edu)

Lecture 14 - The Sovereign State: Hobbes, Leviathan

Time Lecture Chapters
[00:00:00] 1. Introduction: Hobbes' Theory of Sovereignty
[00:06:00] 2. The Doctrine of Legal Positivism: The Law Is What the Sovereign Commands
[00:23:14] 3. Hobbesian Liberalism
[00:32:10] 4. Hobbes and the Modern State

References
Lecture 14 - The Sovereign State: Hobbes, Leviathan
Instructor: Professor Steven B. Smith. Resources: Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan [ebook]. Transcript [html]. Audio [mp3]. Download Video [mov].

Go to the Course Home or watch other lectures:

Lecture 01 - Introduction: What is Political Philosophy?
Lecture 02 - Socratic Citizenship: Plato's Apology
Lecture 03 - Socratic Citizenship: Plato's Crito
Lecture 04 - Philosophers and Kings: Plato's Republic, I-II
Lecture 05 - Philosophers and Kings: Plato's Republic, III-IV
Lecture 06 - Philosophers and Kings: Plato's Republic, V
Lecture 07 - The Mixed Regime and the Rule of Law: Aristotle's Politics, I, III
Lecture 08 - The Mixed Regime and the Rule of Law: Aristotle's Politics, IV
Lecture 09 - The Mixed Regime and the Rule of Law: Aristotle's Politics, VII
Lecture 10 - New Modes and Orders: Machiavelli's The Prince (chaps. 1-12)
Lecture 11 - New Modes and Orders: Machiavelli's The Prince (chaps. 13-26)
Lecture 12 - The Sovereign State: Hobbes, Leviathan
Lecture 13 - The Sovereign State: Hobbes, Leviathan
Lecture 14 - The Sovereign State: Hobbes, Leviathan
Lecture 15 - Constitutional Government: Locke's Second Treatise (1-5)
Lecture 16 - Constitutional Government: Locke's Second Treatise (7-12)
Lecture 17 - Constitutional Government: Locke's Second Treatise (13-19)
Lecture 18 - Democracy and Participation: Rousseau's Discourse on Inequality (Part I)
Lecture 19 - Democracy and Participation: Rousseau's Discourse on Inequality (Part II)
Lecture 20 - Democracy and Participation: Rousseau's Social Contract, I-II
Lecture 21 - Democratic Statecraft: Tocqueville's Democracy in America
Lecture 22 - Democratic Statecraft: Tocqueville's Democracy in America
Lecture 23 - Democratic Statecraft: Tocqueville's Democracy in America
Lecture 24 - In Defense of Politics