John Winthrop, painted as the proper Jacobean gentleman he was. Notice the elegant lace collar. Images of puritans dressed drably in black were largely the creation of 19th century Victorians like Nathaniel Hawthorne. Click on Winthrop's image to reach the home of the John Winthrop Society.
Find out what the motto of the society, Praeservare et Transmittere, means, and write it in the margin of the Model Browse around a little and see what resources are there
As we saw last Tuesday, Thomas Hobbes begins with an observation on human equality. His view was that humans in the state of nature were all equal, and we made a point of trying to see what he meant by that term (remember the distinction between identity and equality). Winthrop’s view could hardly be more different. He begins by observing inequality and attempting to demonstrate that this inequality is a good thing. I want to spend this class period closely examining the differences between these two men.
First, I’d like to have you consider the difference in method of reasoning. Hobbes, as we’ve seen, uses both hypothetical instances and chains of logic to drive his points home. What methods does Winthrop use? See if you can spot at least two. Which method does he use most frequently?
Second, I’d like to have you pay some attention to Winthrop’s defense of inequality. How can he defend inequality as being good for humans? He’ll provide three distinct and different reasons. Make sure you understand each, and if you don’t, have questions ready to raise.
Third, the differences he defines leads him to a series of pronouncements about what society is for, and as you might suspect there are some differences from Hobbes’ view. Winthrop defines a community based on “love and affection,” rather than on mutual fear. Be sure to note that this community extends beyond the faithful (see lines 55 - 60).
Fourth, look to both general principles of how members of a society are to relate to each other (lines, 215 - 240; 285 - 295) and practical applications of those principles as he presents them in a series of “questions and answers”.
Finally it might be useful to think about how those principles might apply to a variety of different “communities”–including academic communities such as this one.
Equality? No! John Winthrop's View
No New Readings
I want to do some "mashup" work with Hobbes and Winthrop. Does our understanding of "law" and community responsibility include some ideas borrowed from each of them? For today, I'd like to have you review the documents we've worked with to this point--going over your notes and underlined comments. It's about time for me to see how things are going with you all--which means asking you to write something for me. I'll present the assignment on Wednesday. We'll spend Friday discussing the assignment and thinking about different approaches to approach it.
No New Readings
We will spend the period discussing the assignment I introduced on Wednesday. Bring ideas with you...as Kant said, "Have the courage to use your own mind".
