TST Trainer
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Topic:
Political Theory
Timeless ideas at the intersections of science, philosophy, critical thinking, and history.
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~
8 minute
audio walk.
Political Theory: Timeless ideas at the intersections of science, philosophy, critical thinking, and history.
Story mode.
Eight key ideas and takeaways.
1. Our first story.
From History: 6 Dec 1865.
Subject: Constitution.
- Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation: Freedom!.
- 6 Dec 1865.
After the Civil War, the 13th Amendment ended slavery as a legal institution in the United States.
To clarify.
The 13th Amendment abolished slavery, but it left one major exception: forced labor could still be used as punishment for a crime after conviction. That exception mattered. It ended chattel slavery, yet it also left a legal opening that shaped prison labor and later systems of coercion. Today we sill have forced prison labor including chain gangs.
That Political Theory Story,
was first published on TST 5 years ago.
2. Now for our second story.
From History: Protection against authority..
Subject: Due Process.
Emerged in the 1600s.
Due process is the boundary that separates lawful authority from arbitrary power.
To be clear.
Rooted in Locke’s defense of natural rights, due process is not about outcomes—it’s about restraint. It forces power to move slowly, predictably, and transparently.
That Political Theory Story,
was first published on TST 2 years ago.
3. Tidbit number three, a quote.
From History: .
Subject: Situational Ethics.
- Thomas Aquinas.
- circa 1265.
Situational ethics, like Just War Theory, can be brought down to your life. When you cannot turn the other cheek, strive for a response that is proportionate and never exceeds the harm done.
Put simply.
Life does not always give us peaceful people or clean choices. Sometimes you must respond. But living well means resisting the urge to escalate. Situational ethics reminds us that a proportionate response protects dignity, limits damage, and keeps pain from multiplying. Even when you must push back, do not let someone else’s wrong turn you into more of the same.
That Political Theory Quote,
was first published on TST 1 week ago.
4. Tidbit number four, another quote.
From History: .
Subject: Law Enforcement.
- Hannah Arendt.
- 1963.
Great harm is often caused not by hatred, but by people who stop thinking and simply comply.
Stepping back for a moment.
Arendt warned that history’s worst outcomes are rarely driven by monsters. They are driven by ordinary people who surrender judgment. When obedience replaces moral thinking, cruelty no longer feels like a choice—it feels like routine.
That Political Theory Quote,
was first published on TST 3 months ago.
Finally, 4 frequently asked “questions.”
5. Now it is time a question.
Subject: Just War Theory.
Situational ethics asks what we should do when no option feels morally clean, and Just War Theory is one of its clearest examples.
Briefly.
Most ethics talks as if the right choice should feel good, pure, or at least clear. Situational ethics begins where that comfort ends. It asks what we do when every option carries harm. Augustine’s Just War thinking matters because it tries to limit evil in those moments rather than pretend it can always be avoided.
That Political Theory Essay,
was first published on TST 1 week ago.
6. Tidbit FAQ number six.
Subject: Authority.
Authority works by design. Human morality fails when obedience replaces accountability.
Now to clarify.
Authority allows large societies to function by reducing complexity and saving time. But when authority exceeds its mandate, detaches from accountability, or claims moral infallibility, it stops guiding judgment and begins replacing it. History shows that harm rarely begins with malice: it begins when responsibility is quietly outsourced.
That Political Theory Essay,
was first published on TST 3 months ago.
7. Here is another tidbit FAQ.
Subject: TST Ethics.
Yes. The Me Too movement emphasizes that impact matters, results matter. And, awareness increases responsibility.
Briefly.
In many respects, yes. TST Ethics emphasizes that outcomes matter. If actions cause harm, especially once that harm is understood, moral obligation increases. Saying “I meant well” is insufficient if the impact produces injury. Virtue requires adjusting behavior in light of lived consequences.
That Political Theory FAQ,
was first published on TST 2 months ago.
8. Moving onto our last tidbit FAQ.
Subject: Situational Ethics.
The history of war ethics shows that across time and cultures, people have tried to define when war is justified and how it should be restrained.
Seen another way.
From tribal customs to to medieval Just War Theory, the history of war ethics reveals a long struggle to limit violence. The details changed, but the goal stayed the same: protect the innocent, and end the violence.
That Political Theory FAQ,
was first published on TST 1 week ago.
“Done.”
Timelines, quotes, and FAQs function as research anchors—designed to be reused, cross-linked, and updated as better evidence emerges.
TouchstoneTruth is a living body of work built around single ideas, each explored carefully and revised openly over time.
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TST Trainer
(c) 2025-2026 TouchstoneTruth.
Writing and coding by Michael Alan Prestwood.
(c) 2025-2026 TouchstoneTruth.
Writing and coding by Michael Alan Prestwood.
