During our semester I was unable to give my first presentation due to time constraints, so Dr. Oliver asked me to share the transcript as part of this final post. The first half will be on Machiavelli and the second half will be on Kieran Setiya's book Life is Hard, specifically Chapter 2 on Loneliness.
Niccolò Machiavelli: The Father of Political Science
Machiavelli is often portrayed as a grand manipulator, a true puppet master of the mind, but this in my opinion was a negative opinion of him that was expressed and exemplified by the Catholic church. They had a vendetta against him because of his remarks towards the Pope of the time, Alexander VI. To form our own opinions we must look back at Machiavelli's life and the history of his work.
Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527) was an Italian diplomat, philosopher, historian, and writer, a true polymath. He is best known for his magnum opus, the political treatise: The Prince. He is commonly regarded as the father of Political Science due to his pragmatic approach to both statecraft and power dynamics.
Philosophy
Machiavelli's political philosophy is often short-handed as realpolitik, a pragmatic and sometimes ruthless approach to governance. In his book, The Prince, Machiavelli argues that rulers must be prepared to do whatever is necessary to maintain their power and protect the state in which they govern even if it means employing tactics of deceit, manipulation, or cruelty. He also coined the phrase "The ends justify the means," which suggests that moral considerations are secondary to the stability and success of the rule and the state.
Machiavelli's work contrasts with idealistic notions of governance, he believed that people are only driven by self-interest, and thus, a ruler must understand and manipulate these instincts to govern effectively. He also addressed the importance of fortune and virtue (Luck, and a ruler's qualities like decisiveness or adaptability, respectively. These beliefs suggest that a successful ruler must manage both of these traits.
Key Works
- The Prince: The most noteworthy piece of literature Machiavelli wrote. It is written from the perspective of a prosperous Prince, and is intended as a guide for rulers on how to both acquire and maintain power.
- Discourses on Livy: This is a reflection on Roman republics and the role of institutions in maintaining a free state.
- The Art of War: Focuses on military strategy and the importance of armed forces in maintaining state power.
Historical Figures and Connections
Machiavelli lived during the Italian Renaissance, a period of political instability, marked by the rise and fall of various city-states and foreign invasions. His connections with historical figures primarily stem from his role in the city of Florence as a diplomat and government official. Some famous figures that were connected with him.
1. Lorenzo de' Medici: Florence's ruling family was the Medicis. Machiavelli worked for them in varying government positions. At one point Machiavelli was exiled from Florence for his criticism of those in power, however as a tribute to Lorenzo de Medici he dedicated The Prince to his name, hoping to gain reputation with the patriarch once more, they later made a deal to have Niccolò write up a history of Florence and its inner workings where he heavily spoke on the good deeds of the Medici family. No one is entirely sure if his relationship with the Medici families was out of genuine loyalty, or pure opportunism.
2. Cesare Borgia: A key figure in The Prince, Cesare Borgia was an Italian nobleman, military leader, and politician who became a model for Machiavelli's concept of virtu (political skill). Machiavelli admired Borgia for his ruthlessness and ability to consolidate power, despite all the challenges he faced.
3. Francesco Sforza: The Duke of Milan, whose rule Machiavelli observed closely. His ability to maintain power through a combination of military strength and political alliances was a key element in Machiavelli's thinking on leadership.
This video was not part of my initial report, but it is a neat addition to the topic. Robert Greene is the author of famous self-help book The 48 Laws of Power. In this video he talks about how Niccolò Machiavelli was a large inspiration for his writings, to the point he almost considers him a close friend.
Legacy
Machiavelli's ideas have had a profound influence on political theory and practice. His works inspired both tyrants and reformers, with figures like Napoleon, Frederick the Great, and even modern political leaders drawing from his strategies. While often criticized for endorsing manipulative or unethical tactics, Machiavelli's contributions remain foundational in the study of power, leadership, and statecraft. In modern times, the term "Machiavellian" has come to refer to a person who is cunning, deceitful, and manipulative in achieving their aims. Some scholars argue that this interpretation heavily oversimplifies his work. I personally believe that the Prince was written as a sort of satirical take on power as well as the perspective of a young, unaccomplished ruler with delusions of grandeur.
Loneliness: A Summary of Kieran Setiya's Life is Hard, Chapter 2
I chose to cover Kieran Setiya's take on the concept of Loneliness. I myself have had experiences with loneliness and seen how it can negatively affect people who are close to me in life, so this topic jumped out to me as important.
Setiya describes his childhood experience of sitting out on his school playground isolated from the others because he had arrived too early. He spent this time thinking and began to write poetry and stories to keep himself busy and entertained from the age of seven years old. Despite this Setiya claims he never felt lonely. He spends the beginning of the chapter emphasizing the difference between loneliness and being alone. To him loneliness is defined as "The pain of social disconnection", where being alone is quite literally just that, having no one physically present around you.
Other Philosophers on Loneliness
He also mentions several philosophers who have done their own speaking on loneliness. The three he talked on the most were:
and
Aristotle said "Without friends, no one would choose to live." He also created the concept of philia describing "friendship" and its many variations. Through this concept Aristotle acknowledges friendships of utility, of pleasure, and of virtue. He also considers family a type of friendship.
Descartes famously says "I think, therefore I am." While Descartes believed him self an isolationist, and would lock himself in a stove room to prove the existence of God, Setiya argues that the coined phrase actually supports the idea of social connections. "I think, therefore I am" implies I as a concept that only functions when there is an "other". There cannot be an other if you do not distinguish yourself as I and separate from who others are.
This is similar thinking to Hegel's quote: "There is no 'I' without 'you'." As he believes you can distinguish yourself as a unique individual if you are not among other people who are different in their own rights.
Social Media
Now the "loneliness epidemic" that sparked my interest in this topic was from a thesis posted in 2023 by the former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy. He talks about the effect of Covid-19 on social interaction by having most people in the first world isolated from others on a regular basis for at least two years. While covid is very clearly one of the primary reasons people feel like this right now, and some of effects on social connection still linger, I'd like to talk about a much broader topic. The effects of social media.
Social media is a hot topic. I'm sure people are tired of hearing about it because I know I am. Social media is a large part of what sparked the "epidemic". We've never had such accessibility to knowledge and the opinions of others at such a massive scale before. While that sort of thing IS good in many ways, it's also a disadvantage. Receiving our social interaction from people online, especially through non-direct interactions like comments or "likes", isolates us in not only a physical way but a social one as well, since we entirely replace in-person interactions in many areas. Other factors such as the "man-o-sphere" are fueling younger generations with anti-social rhetoric that's pushing away genuine friendship and enhancing toxic mindsets. But where else would they think to go other than other spaces of social media that those around them promote.
I was originally disappointed with Setiya's chapter on loneliness, as I expected him to talk about how loneliness forms and ways to manage it. Near the end of the chapter, he explains that loneliness is not just a simple fix, it's something one needs to work for in a healthy manner. You have to be active about it. What I've begun to do instead of wallow in my own pity, is to just treat people as I'd want them to treat me and it pays off. Making small social interactions that help you feel connected to the world is a way to see others and feel the presence of them around you. Even complimenting people as you walk by them helps you realize you're not alone as a human being. I now go out of my way to check in on friends and just understand that they're their own person and have their own things going on. I am not able to force people to interact with me but I can change how I am perceived so that I can invite others in to interacting with me as well.
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