1. Plato
The Republic
Date of Submission of Powerpoint and Written Report: June 22, 2013
Powerpoint: Not less than 8 and not more than 10 slides
Written Report: Not less than 10 and not more than 15 pages, Short bond paper,
Arial Narrow, 12 font size, 1.5 spacing
Submit it online to junpolsci@gmail.com
Date of Group Report: June 25, 2013
A. Introduce the report by briefly discussing Plato's notions about democracy
On his "doctrine of the expert,"
2. His premise that “Either the trained must rule, or the untrained must rule.”
Expound to the Class Plato's Forms of Government from The Republic
B. Discuss the following forms of Government: Aristocracy, Timocracy, Oligarchy (or
Plutocracy), Democracy and Tyranny (or Despotism)
End the Topic on Plato’s Forms of Government by sharing to the class your group’s
understanding on the following quote:
“...the truth being that the excessive increase of anything often causes a reaction in the
opposite direction; and this is the case not only in the seasons and in vegetable and
animal life, but above all in forms of government.
True.
The excess of liberty, whether in States or individuals, seems only to pass into excess of
slavery.
Yes, the natural order. And so tyranny naturally arises out of democracy, and the most
aggravated form of tyranny and slavery out of the most extreme form of liberty?
As we might expect.”
C. Close the Report by discuss Plato’s Theme of Justice guided by the following questions
and on how you are going to apply this theme to the current realities in the Philippines.
Citing an example is enjoined.
1. Is justice unconditionally speaking the truth and paying one’s debt?
2. Is justice to give to each what is owed to him (Simonides)?
3. Is justice the advantage of the stronger?
4. Does an unjust person live better than a just one?
5. Socrates’ position: “Injustice is never more profitable than justice.”
6. Which of the two is virtue and wisdom: justice or injustice?
7. Does injustice make a person powerful?
8. Do just people live better and are they happier than unjust people?
Sources of the Outline and Guide Questions: Various syllabus available on-line

2. Aristotle’s
Politics
Date of Submission of Powerpoint and Written Report: June 24, 2013
Powerpoint: Not less than 8 and not more than 10 slides
Written Report: Not less than 10 and not more than 15 pages, Short bond paper,
Arial Narrow, 12 font size, 1.5 spacing
Submit it online to junpolsci@gmail.com
Date of Group Report: June 28, 2013
I. Introduce the report by describing Aristotle’s state
A. The form of the state (constitution)
B. The matter of the state (citizens)
C. Good citizen v. good man: goodness of citizen relative to regime
D. Who is a citizen?
II. Expound Aristotle’s Forms of government in the class
A. True forms of government and their perversions
Rule by the True Forms Perversion
One Monarchy/Kingship Tyranny
Few Aristocracy Oligarchy
Many Polity/Constitutional Govt Democracy
B. Principles upon which each regime is based—how political powers are distributed?
C. What is the best regime? (depends on composition of citizenry)
D. Polity/constitutional government
III. Close the Report by presenting the Purpose of politics and its application in the Philippines.
A. Managing conflict
1. Class-based political conflict
2. Distributive justice: competing claims about the distribution of goods and honor
3. Aristotle’s proposal for managing conflict
a. All regimes should draw on all relevant conceptions of justice, especially those of rich
and poor, to bring about stability and justice
b. Give all groups an interest in preserving the constitution
c. Laws aim at happiness and excellence of citizens
d. Just regime is not necessarily a perfect or virtuous regime
Sources of the Outline and Guide Questions: Syllabus available on-line

3. St. Agustine of Hippo
City of God
Date of Submission of Powerpoint and Written Report: June 28, 2013
Powerpoint: Not less than 8 and not more than 10 slides
Written Report: Not less than 10 and not more than 15 pages, Short bond paper,
Arial Narrow, 12 font size, 1.5 spacing
Submit it online to junpolsci@gmail.com
Date of Group Report: July 2, 2013
A. Introduced the report by briefly discussing the “Two Cities” as one of the foundational political concepts of
Augustinian Political “Theory”.
Briefly discuss the philosophy of St. Augustine on Divine vs. Human Justice and the origins of evil.
B. Expound the thoughts of St. Augustine on “War and Peace” guided by the following topics.
1. War Among Nations
2. War and Human Nature
3. The Just War
4. Jus Ad Bellum and Jus In Bello
5. Augustine’s conception of Peace. Explain his argument that the purpose of war is peace.
6. Justice and State
C. Close the report by relating the idea of St. Agustine on just war to 2 contemporary issues in the Philippines.
Whether or not war is necessary to resolve the issues? If war will erupt, will it be considered as a just war on
the part of the Philippines?
It is suggested you may cite the encroachment of the Chinese in the West Philippine Sea and the incident in
Sabah involving the followers of the Sultan of Sulu
Sources of the Outline and Guide Questions: Syllabus available online.

4. St. Thomas Aquinas
Summa Theologica: JUST WAR THEORY
Date of Submission of Powerpoint and Written Report: July 1, 2013
Powerpoint: Not less than 8 and not more than 10 slides
Written Report: Not less than 10 and not more than 15 pages, Short bond paper,
Arial Narrow, 12 font size, 1.5 spacing
Submit it online to junpolsci@gmail.com
Date of Group Report: July 5, 2013
D. Introduce your report by presenting to the class the result of the survey. Ask your classmates of their
justification about war. Tally the result and discuss it first in your group and then the result in the class. Give
the names in a piece of paper of those who participated in the survey. This is the question.
Is there a justification for Acts of War?
What do you think? Yes No
 in self defense
 to protect innocent life
 to protect human rights
 to overcome other forms of evil
 only if you will probably win
 only as a last resort, after all peaceful alternatives have been exhausted
 acts of war can never be satisfied
In your group discussion and in presenting the result, you must encourage the class to explain their
answers. Value the importance of listening to other perspective even when you or your group feels that his
answer is wrong.
E. Expound Aquinas’ objections to war with the following important guiding questions
7. Aquinas stressed that the primary reasons why the Christians do not agree to war are based on the
belief that war is against God’s wishes and is always sinful.
8. Discuss each of Aquinas’ requirements for just war.
9. As an important area of interest to be discussed, share to the class Aquinas’ question ‘Whether it is
always sinful to wage war’ following the four points:
a. Whether some kind of war is lawful
b. Whether it is lawful for clerics to fight?
c. Whether it is lawful or belligerents to lay ambushes?
d. Whether it is lawful to fight on holy days?

5. F. Close the report by applying the idea of St. Thomas Aquinas on just war to 4 contemporary issues in the
Philippines. Whether or not war is necessary to resolve the issues? If war will erupt, will it be considered as
a just war on the part of the Philippines?
It is suggested you may cite the incident the recent attacks of the New People’s Army and the country’s
conflict with Taiwan.
Sources of the Outline and Guide Questions: Syllabus available online.