An Introduction to Political Philosophy (Opus S.) [Paperback]

Jonathan Wolff (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 14, 1996 | ISBN-10: 0192892517 | ISBN-13: 978-0192892515

What would life be like without the state? What justifies the state? Who should rule? How much liberty should the citizen enjoy? How should property be justly distributed? This book examines the central problems involved in political philosophy and the past attempts to respond to these problems. Jonathan Wolff looks at the works of Plato, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Mill, Marx, and Rawls (among others), examining how the debates between philosophers have developed, and searching for possible answers to these provocative questions. His final chapter looks at more recent issues, particularly feminist political theory.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Exactly what the title says--it introduces students to many of the central topics of political philosophy and in the process to many of its most distinguished figures from Plato to John Rawls. By organizing his book around major issues, Wolff provides the structure that beginners need."--Alan Ryan

About the Author

Jonathan Wolff teaches in the Philosophy Department at University College, London.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (March 14, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0192892517
• ISBN-13: 978-0192892515
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #908,711 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Introduction, August 20, 2003

By 

Christopher Hefele (Lawrenceville, NJ United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: An Introduction to Political Philosophy (Opus S.) (Paperback)

I found this to be a great introduction to political philosophy. In an unbiased manner, Jonathan Wolff reviews the central ideas that are fundamental to the field: the state of nature, how one justifies the formation of the state, how to pick rulers, liberty, distribution of property, individualism, justice, rights, democracy, utilitarianism, and social contracts. He also reviews ideas of the major thinkers -- Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, etc. The book is organized by TOPIC, not by thinker, which is a format that I find was best suited for learning & for tying different thinker's ideas together. The writing is clear, simple, and chatty; it seems to have been written for college freshman. The only minor fault is that the book does not cover some major figures in political theory that I would have included: Aristotle & Machiavelli were not mentioned, for example. However, overall, I'd recommend this book. I'm keeping it on my bookself for reference.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book!, October 15, 2001

By 

Eris (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: An Introduction to Political Philosophy (Opus S.) (Paperback)

This was required reading for my philosophy class. It is very thorough, but still understandable. This book is at the base of my entire understanding of political philosophy, and I still rely on it from time to time. For anyone in philosophy, Lincoln-Douglas debate, or just are interested, READ THIS!

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great book with which to start an intellectual snow-ball, April 27, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (London, England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: An Introduction to Political Philosophy (Opus S.) (Paperback)

Jo Wolff provides a very lucid and wide-ranging introduction to the issues of political philosophy, interspersing theoretical issues with helpful and illuminating analogies. Highly recommended for the newcomer to the subject, and an enticing stimulus for anyone who has ever considered the foundations of political theory. Even if you haven't, this book is a great introduction to a fascinating and increasingly popular subject.