A Student's Guide to Political Philosophy (Isi Guides to the Major Disciplines) [Paperback]

Harvey C. Mansfield (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2001 | Series: Isi Guides to the Major Disciplines

Behind the daily headlines on presidential races and local elections is the theory of the polity 151 or what the end of our politics should be. Harvard s Harvey C. Mansfield, one of America s leading political theorists, explains why our quest for the good life must address the type of government we seek to uphold. He directs our gaze to the thinkers and philosophies and classic works that have proved most influential throughout the ages. Author: Harvey C. MansfieldPages: 58, PaperbackPublisher: Christendom PressISBN: 1-882926-43-9

Product Details

• Paperback: 58 pages
• Publisher: Isi Books (July 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1882926439
• ISBN-13: 978-1882926435
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #478,326 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #5 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Nonfiction > Politics > Reference
  • #42 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Nonfiction > Social Sciences > Political Science > Political Doctrines
  • #67 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Nonfiction > Politics > History & Theory

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The very best guide to the subject, October 1, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: A Student's Guide to Political Philosophy (Isi Guides to the Major Disciplines) (Paperback)

Harvard University Professor Harvey C. Mansfield, Jr., is well known within the discipline of political theory as one of the great figures of our time. Profoundly influenced by Leo Strauss, he also brings to his work a concern for the institutions of constitutional democracy which was a staple at Harvard during the era of Carl Friedrich. He has made original contributions to the study of Machiavelli and recently completed a translation of, and commentary on, Tocqueville's Democracy in America.

Mansfield's lectures on ancient, medieval, and modern political philosophy are famously dense and provocative, forcing students to confront the deepest problems posed by some of the greatest minds in Western history. In this remarkable guide, Mansfield conveys with subtle precision the contours, the twists and turns, that political philosophy has taken over the centuries, from Plato to Nietzsche.

For any student of political philosophy, this is the place to begin. This slim book can be read at a single sitting, but what Mansfield has to say may keep you thinking for the rest of your life.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fine, if somewhat short...., December 30, 2002

By 

Nathan Albright (Tampa, FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Student's Guide to Political Philosophy (Isi Guides to the Major Disciplines) (Paperback)

This book is a very short summary of political philosophy. Perhaps it is wrong in assuming that a student would not be able to read about this subject in greater detail. After reading this, though, one will want to know more about political philosophy, why one can be both politically active and philosophical, and why politics is important to students, and not just leftist politics. Also, one wonders which political philosophy the author has, as he seems to comment wryly on both conservatism and liberalism with great acuity. A fine read, if somewhat incomplete.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Just a guide, June 2, 2010

By 

Rufus Calder - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Student's Guide to Political Philosophy (Isi Guides to the Major Disciplines) (Paperback)

The book is a brief chronological account of Western political thought interspersed with some of the author's thoughts. I was disappointed at first when I realized how short this book I had bought was because I was hoping for some meaty reading, but I realized that the main purpose of this book is to direct the reader to the actual texts. Mansfield gives a short list at the end of the book of the best translations.