PLSC 118: The Moral Foundations of Politics
Lecture 02 - Introductory Lecture. The trial of Adolf Eichmann, as presented in Hannah Arendt's Eichmann in Jerusalem, is the topic of discussion. Professor Shapiro asks students what made them uncomfortable, not only about Eichmann's actions as a Nazi officer, but also the actions of Israel in capturing, extraditing, trying, and executing him. This begs the questions, what makes a government legitimate? And more specifically, was the Third Reich illegitimate and was Eichmann breaking some kind of higher law? After class discussion, Professor Shapiro frames the five traditions that were introduced in the previous class as ways to answer this question of governmental legitimacy, and introduces John Locke, the topic of the next lecture, as a backdrop for these traditions. (from oyc.yale.edu)
| Lecture 02 - Introductory Lecture |
| Time | Lecture Chapters |
| [00:00:00] | 1. Who Was Adolf Eichmann? |
| [00:05:44] | 2. Analyzing Eichmann's Actions |
| [00:11:30] | 3. Analyzing Eichmann's Apprehension, Trial and Execution |
| [00:25:24] | 4. Eichmann's Actions versus His Apprehension, Trial and Execution |
| [00:32:03] | 5. Five Traditions: What Makes a Regime Legitimate or Illegitimate? |
| References |
| Lecture 2 - Introductory Lecture Instructor: Professor Ian Shapiro. Resources: Notes: Introduction [PDF]. Transcript [html]. Audio [mp3]. Download Video [mov]. |
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