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Nature of Political Philosophy

Book Summary by: Afsheen    

Original Author: Mr. Hafeez
  • Summary rating: 2 stars (7 Ratings)
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  • words:600 
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Political Philosophy refers to that creamy layer of intellectual tradition in the discipline of political science which
searches for good political order through a serious dialogue; political philosopher enters with the facts around him. It is a rational synthesis of human speculation and information. It is re-enactment of the thought of the people in the mind of philosopher. It is a re-enactment of a thought about the state, its nature, structure and its purpose. In the main, it has been the province of philosophical writers, most of who were distinguished in philosophy, literature, history. Plato, Aristotle, St. Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Hegel and Marx are great names in the history of western political philosophy.   All political philosophy is contemporary political philosophy. This means that the political philosophy is fundamentally the representative of his age – a watch dog, a super politician and a critic of all that what he observes happening around him. He analyses the nature and functioning of different institutions and structures right from their emergence upto his own times with the sole objective to give a theory that he considers best for the society. The good political philosophers have also future in their bones.   Political philosophy is essentially rooted in individual psychology, social psychology and history. Its first focus remains to understand the nature of man, his innate predispositions and wants – the unavoidable wants and the imbecile wants – and the relationships they generate for common interest. While no political philosopher ignores the basic wants of humans, they differ in their approach – how to serve these differing needs. They, according to their understanding of humans in relation to the environment – the knowledge based on personal experiences and insights drawn form different disciplines – have been engaged in building theories that serve as tools to analyse and reform political reality.   It is, however, to be mentioned that political philosophy is not value free, which is its charm as it refers to the basic character of human society viz. heterogeneous human nature and that human beings are also conditioned by their respective environments. No single fact can explain the complex human nature. While a political philosopher over-emphasises a particular fact by revolving around it, he underestimates the other equally important ones. However, the contribution of a political thinker lies in the fact that he invokes a new fact and makes it to speak. However, the good political philosophy is the one which in the words of Nietzsche is life-furthering, life-preserving, species-preserving, perhaps species creating. The validity of the political philosophy depends on the validity of the purpose.   It may also be mentioned that there is no absolute philosophy. The only absolute is change. Political philosophy evolves changes and grows with the development in science, technology, philosophy, psychology and other branches of human knowledge which create new problems as well as throw-up new mechanisms.   Thus, the political philosophy marches with the march of times. Armed with the old and new experiences he adapts political philosophy to the emerging changing circumstances by producing a new treatise underlined by a new understanding and insight which is theory or generalisation.   As a matter of fact, political philosophy sharpens the wits, deepens the imagination and refines one’s critical powers. It is the flight of imagination and prescriptive ness of values that really leads us to some definite conclusions for public good. What is more, as rightly put by R. G. Collingwood, “If political philosophers do not involve themselves in analyzing the problems of our society and have no commitments to them, politics will be guided by fools”.    
Published: June 07, 2007
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