Political Philosophy Courses and Certifications

Rousseau - Popular Sovereignty and General Will - Lecture 5

Explore Rousseau's influential ideas on popular sovereignty, general will, and social contract, shaping modern political thought and the French Revolution.

• YouTube
• 40 minutes
• On-Demand
• Free Video

The Division of Powers - Montesquieu's Theory of Separation of Powers

Explore Montesquieu's influential ideas on separation of powers, government classification, and the impact of environment on society in this Yale lecture on modern social thought foundations.

• YouTube
• 44 minutes
• On-Demand
• Free Video

John Locke's Political Theory - Equality, Freedom, Property, and Dissent

Explore Locke's political philosophy, focusing on equality, freedom, property rights, and government by consent. Contrasts with Hobbes' views and examines separation of powers in state governance.

• YouTube
• 45 minutes
• On-Demand
• Free Video

Hobbes - Authority, Human Rights and Social Order in Modern Social Thought

Explore Hobbes's political philosophy, examining his views on human nature, social contracts, and the role of sovereign power in maintaining social order and individual security.

• YouTube
• 43 minutes
• On-Demand
• Free Video

New Modes and Orders - Machiavelli's The Prince (Chapters 13-26)

Explore Machiavelli's radical redefinition of virtue and vice in "The Prince," examining his concepts of manliness, fortune, and the ethical dilemmas of political leadership.

• YouTube
• 43 minutes
• On-Demand
• Free Video

Democratic Statecraft - Tocqueville's Democracy in America - Lecture 23

Explore Tocqueville's insights on democracy, examining moral and psychological aspects, institutional development, and the role of statesmen in shaping democratic societies.

• YouTube
• 51 minutes
• On-Demand
• Free Video

In Defense of Politics - Introduction to Political Philosophy

Explore key concepts in political philosophy, from patriotism and nationalism to cosmopolitanism, examining the ideas of influential thinkers and the role of education in understanding politics.

• YouTube
• 39 minutes
• On-Demand
• Free Video

The Sovereign State - Hobbes' Leviathan and the State of Nature

Explore Hobbes' Leviathan: state of nature, individuality, human nature, and laws of reason. Gain insights into political philosophy and the foundations of sovereign power.

• YouTube
• 46 minutes
• On-Demand
• Free Video

New Modes and Orders - Machiavelli's The Prince Chapters 1-12

Explore Machiavelli's revolutionary political philosophy, examining his concept of the modern state and new leadership paradigm in Renaissance Florence.

• YouTube
• 37 minutes
• On-Demand
• Free Video

The Mixed Regime and the Rule of Law - Aristotle's Politics VII - Lecture 9

Explore Aristotle's concept of polity as a balanced regime, its role in controlling factions, and the foundations of political science in this insightful lecture on ancient political philosophy.

• YouTube
• 46 minutes
• On-Demand
• Free Video

Philosophers and Kings - Plato's Republic, Book V

Explore Plato's Republic, focusing on self-control, justice, and the concept of the philosopher-king. Delve into the idea of harmony in both city and soul.

• YouTube
• 45 minutes
• On-Demand
• Free Video

Philosophers and Kings - Plato's Republic, Books I-II

Explore Plato's Republic: moral psychology, justice, poetry, and the ideal city. Delve into its meanings, utopian vision, and key concepts through an in-depth analysis of the text's opening.

• YouTube
• 47 minutes
• On-Demand
• Free Video

Socratic Citizenship: Plato's Crito - Lecture 3

Explore Socratic citizenship through Plato's Crito, examining civil obedience, philosophical reasoning, and the citizen's duty to uphold community laws in ancient Athens and modern contexts.

• YouTube
• 47 minutes
• On-Demand
• Free Video

Socratic Citizenship: Plato's Apology - Introduction to Political Philosophy

Explore Plato's Apology, examining Socrates' defense of philosophy in political life and its implications for free expression and citizenship in ancient Athens.

• YouTube
• 46 minutes
• On-Demand
• Free Video

A Defense of Natural Liberty - Jerry Gaus, Hayek Lecture Series

Jerry Gaus explores the principle of natural liberty, its role in moral learning, and its advantages for diverse societies, drawing on empirical research and philosophical arguments.

• YouTube
• 44 minutes
• On-Demand
• Free Video