Political Theory 101

Latest Episodes:

Weber on Maturity, Capitalism, and Protestantism Jan 31, 2021

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Edmund & Benjamin return to Max Weber! This time, we're discussing Weber's thoughts on the "immaturity" of the German bourgeoisie, along with the way Weber connected capitalism to religion.

Durkheim and Lukacs on Alienation, Anomie, and Reification Jan 16, 2021

Show notes

Edmund and Benjamin put Marx's theory of alienation into conversation with Durkheim's theory of anomie, examining how we can't live with social roles or without them. This leads to a discussion of how social roles are reified, via Lukacs.

Bentham, Mill, and the Utilitarians Jan 03, 2021

Show notes

Edmund and Benjamin run through the history of utilitarianism, focusing both on its radical and conservative aspects and running through some of the problems utilitarians have grappled with. Featuring Sidgwick, Moore, Singer, and Parfit, among others...

Fenelon, Mandeville, and 18th Century Thoughts on Commerce & Luxury Dec 15, 2020

Show notes

We discuss reactions to economic change in the 18th century, conflicts with traditional understandings of virtue, and how theorists thought about the problem before Smith & Bentham came on the scene. To skip the full reading of Fable of the Bees, go to 25:30

Hobbes, Hume, Spinoza, and the Politics of Human Nature Dec 03, 2020

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We discuss the influence of theories of human nature on political theory, comparing and contrasting Hobbes, Hume, and Spinoza.

The Frankfurt School and the Rise of the Interventionist State Nov 22, 2020

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Edmund and Benjamin delve into Marxist reactions to the rise of the interventionist state, both in the interwar and postwar periods. Featuring Adorno, Fraenkel, Habermas, Horkheimer, Kirchheimer, Marcuse, Pollock, Neumann

Marxism After Marx Nov 05, 2020

Show notes

Edmund and Benjamin discuss the trajectory of Marxism during the decades following Marx's death. They focus on the limitations of both democratic and revolutionary approaches, attempts to find a golden mean between the two, and why this mean was so elusive.

Nietzsche, Arendt, and Aesthetic Struggle Oct 20, 2020

Show notes

Edmund and Benjamin discuss what happens when political theorists make struggling their primary objective, comparing Nietzsche and Arendt to the theorists who prioritise unity, order, or truth.

Marx and Materialism Sep 27, 2020

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Edmund and Benjamin discuss Marx's theory of history, positioning Marx in relation to his German predecessors and to some of the Marxists that follow him. The Greeks make an appearance, too.

Hegel and the German Conception of Freedom Sep 14, 2020

Show notes

Edmund and Benjamin discuss Hegel's effort to bridge the gap between the individual and the collective with mediating institutions. They position Hegel in relation to the German theorists who came before and after him and discuss his critique of the Greeks.

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