Vital Homework & Reprimand for absent 'friends' (apart from Georgie.)

I'm very disappointed / alarmed /worried that so many of you missed one or both of today's lessons.  We do not have time to revisit this unit and one or two of you have missed a considerable part of it. If you don't catch up and stay caught up your prospect of completing the course will be in doubt. If any of you have genuine reasons for your absence I apologise for the grumpy tone of this, although the previous sentence still applies. 

You will have to work very hard to make up what you've missed and be able to complete this homework to an acceptable standard.You will need to very carefully read the textbook p. 118-154,  and use the blog and website to download the appropriate texts etc. 

This must be completed by Monday 23rd Feruary. The questions/plan below can be downloaded from the website (Resources, Links & Essays page - 'Social Contract Essay'.

Vital Half  Term Homework # 2.

This Homework is Vital to Your Success in the Philosophy Exam. Use the text book, use your notes, the grid, the blog, the web site, and in an emergency email mrbrodie@mac.com for help. 

1. Describe and explain as fully as you can how the ‘contract theories’ of Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau and Rawls hope to:

• create ‘sovereign powers’ with legitimate authority. 
  
• create a legitimate sense of obligation to the ‘soveriegn power’ on the basis of consent to the contract. 
  

2. Explain Hume’s criticism of the notion of contract and consent. (text book p.136-7 at least)

3. Explain how power can take different forms: give examples - people & institutions. (text book p. 138-9) 

4 .   (Probably the most important bit) Explain your view as to how government and the exercise of power and authority can best be legitimated.