Slideshow prepared for the first part of a series of lectures on Liberalism for PS 240 Introduction to Political Theory (Fall 2007) at the University of Kentucky. Dr. Christopher S. Rice, Lecturer.

1. Liberalism Dr. Christopher S. Rice

2. The American Political Spectrum is small…

4. The startling Western transformation of 1500-1700

5. Organic vs. Mechanistic

6. Organic Worldview

7. First Nature

8. Second Nature

9. The world is a living world…

10. Unrestrained growth is an aberration, undesired

11. Mechanistic Worldview

12. The $$$ World

13. The world is a “dead” world…

14. Lack of continuous growth = death

15. The Organic Worldview

16. Ruach

18. Gaia

19. The rise of capitalism

20. Logical Positivism Leads to the Mechanistic Worldview

24. Cogito Ergo Sum

26. Mechanistic Philosophy

28. Logical Positivism

29. Is science objective? Economics?

31. The Liberal concept of agency is based on the theory of possessive individualism

39. Liberal Philosophy

40. Equality Liberty Individuality Rationality

41. Equality

42. Equality of Opportunity vs. Equality of Outcome

43. Liberty

44. Individuality

45. Rationality

46. Liberal Society

47. wars of religion and the rise of modern science in the 16th and 17th centuries

48. Feudalism Capitalism

49. Why a free-market economy is important…

50. The Pursuit of “the Good”

51. this does not mean that all beliefs and ways of life are treated as being equal

52. we have the right to find out the worth (or worthlessness) of our opinions for ourselves.

53. A way of life that cannot withstand the light of public scrutiny is not worth saving in the first place.

54. Individuals must be allowed to make mistakes so they can learn from them.

55. Liberal Politics

56. strict distinction between the state and civil society

57. ambivalence about the benefits of democracy

58. Government is BAD! Government is GREAT!

59. Neoclassical Liberals/ Social Darwinists vs. Welfare Liberals

60. The Liberal View of Freedom (Ball and Dagger, “Liberalism”) OBSTACLE: Laws, customs, or conditions that block individual choice (or pursuit of “the good”) AGENT: The “Atomistic” Individual GOAL: To live as one chooses, pursue one’s own idea of “the good.”

62. The Principle of Utility Maximization

63. Government’s job is to ameliorate the effects of utility maximization which bring harm to others

64. 2 general conclusions about government

65. Government can best promote the greatest happiness for the greatest number by leaving people alone .

66. Government is not likely to promote the greatest happiness for the greatest number if it is only open to a small number.

68. Defend and Extend individual liberty

70. Harm Principle Every sane adult should be free to do whatever he or she wants as long as his or her actions do not harm, or threaten to harm, others.

72. Natural Rights

73. Utility Society, as a whole, will benefit if people are allowed to think and act freely.

74. Representative democracy only for the educated, wealthy?

75. Neoclassical liberalism VS. Welfare Liberalism

76. Neoclassical liberalism

77. Social Darwinism

81. Welfare Liberalism

82. Government as a POSITIVE force

84. Negative VS. Positive Freedom

85. Socialism VS. Welfare Liberalism