College of Political Knowledge

Professor’s Classroom

Subject:  Political Philosophy/Government

Lecture #1

On Mondays I offer up a post on the workings and beliefs found in Political Philosophy, trying to help people get a grip on what the science is all about…..that has been met with mixed success….so I have decided to offer up some of the more well known aspects of political philosophy…the slogans…the obscure ideas…..and the like…..hopefully this will help people grasp the political side of life….time will tell……

Very recently I was watching the tube and this rally going on in Washington…it was billed as a non-political rally but everything about it was political….anyway…..several of the speakers in their diatribes mentioned the country should  return to its traditional values…I got to thinking…just what are those traditional values?

Even more recently I listened to a local Dem. politician running for office and he, in his little speech to those gathered, mentioned a return to traditional values.  And once again I asked myself….what are those traditional values?

A political philosopher has the knowledge, but it is NOT his place to try and convince someone or anyone, only to ask questions to help people to understand that which they think they know.  He/she will NOT tell you what the answer is but rather ask you if you think you know the answer.

So, I ask again….what are these traditional values all speak of in their speeches?

Is it something in the political thinking of the people?  Or is it solely personal opinions on the way of things?  Or possibly, a vague catch phrase used to emotional commit people to something they are holding on to to gain some sort of advantage?

Just what are these “traditional values”?

Are they found in the Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence or the Constitution?  Where can a person go to learn what the values are?  Is it a genetic thing?  Is it a learned thing?  Just where are they?

Should we all have the same traditional values?  Or is it a personal thing to be shared with no one?  Should the country have a shared traditional values?  If that is the case, where would an American find references in the “official founding documents”?

If the values are from a special person, then who would that be?  And why are they the ones that have that special power over everyone else?

What are these “Traditional Values”?  So many questions….so few answers…..