Political Philosophy
This philosopher famously argued that without government, human life would be “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”
Thomas Hobbes
You choose to spend Saturday working instead of studying. In economics, the value of what you gave up by working is your _____.
Opportunity cost
This principle means that government officials—including the president—are subject to the law.
Rule of law
This narrow waterway between Iran and Oman is one of the world's most strategically important chokepoints, with a massive share of global oil shipments passing through it. What is the name of this strait whose closure have sent global energy prices soaring?
The Strait of Hormuz
This Ohio State president, who served from 1891 to 1895, dramatically expanded the university's academic mission and helped establish it as more than an agricultural and mechanical school. A library was also named after him. Who was he?
William Oxley Thompson
John Locke argued that government exists largely to protect these three things.
Life, liberty, and property
A government places a tax on gasoline because burning it imposes costs on people who aren't involved in the transaction. Economists call this type of cost a _____.
Negative externality
The power of the U.S. government is divided among three branches largely to prevent too much power from accumulating in one place. What principle is this?
Separation of powers
This Canadian psychologist and public intellectual rose to international prominence after criticizing proposed Canadian legislation concerning gender identity and compelled speech, later becoming known for his critiques of postmodernism, identity politics, and progressive politics. Who is he?
Jordan Peterson
Ohio State's official school colors were adopted in the late 19th century. What are they?
Scarlet and Gray
This philosopher argued that legitimate political authority comes from the “general will,” rather than simply from individual preferences.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Two competing companies would both make more money if neither lowered its prices, but each has an incentive to lower prices first. This is a classic example of what concept?
The Prisoner's Dilemma / game theory
Congress passes a law, the president enforces it, and the Supreme Court determines whether it violates the Constitution. What broader system allows these branches to constrain one another?
Checks and balances
This surveillance technology has recently faced bipartisan backlash after reports of law-enforcement officers misusing its license-plate data to track people for personal reasons, while cities including Tempe and Austin have moved away from the system amid broader privacy concerns. What company makes these controversial automated license-plate reader cameras?
Flock Safety
Founded in 1870 as the Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College, Ohio State adopted its current name in 1878. What was the university originally called?
Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College
Imagine designing society without knowing whether you'll be rich, poor, healthy, disabled, highly educated, or uneducated. This is John Rawls' famous thought experiment.
The veil of ignorance
A government gives everyone $1,000, but the additional money causes prices to rise substantially. The policy has increased people's nominal income without necessarily increasing their _____.
Real purchasing power
The Supreme Court recently rejected President Trump's attempt to use broad emergency powers to impose sweeping tariffs, forcing the administration to pursue tariffs through other legal authorities. What constitutional idea does this controversy most directly raise?
The separation of powers and Congress's authority over taxation/trade.
In August 2026, 29 states reached a landmark settlement with this company over allegations that its platforms were deliberately designed to addict children and contributed to harms to young users. The settlement could cost the company up to $17 billion and requires major changes to how its platforms handle minors. What company was at the center of the lawsuit?
Meta (Facebook/Instagram)
In 1904, Ohio State opened one of its most recognizable buildings, designed in the Collegiate Gothic style and eventually becoming one of the defining landmarks of campus. What building is this?
University Hall
This Italian political philosopher asserted: "Men are driven by two principal impulses, either by love or by fear.'
Machiavelli
A country imposes a tariff on imported steel to protect domestic steel producers. Domestic steel companies benefit, but consumers and industries that use steel pay higher prices. What economic concept describes the overall loss created by the policy?
Deadweight loss
After President Obama nominated Merrick Garland in 2016, this Senate leader refused to hold a confirmation hearing, arguing that the American people should have a voice in the vacancy through the upcoming election. Four years later, he helped confirm Amy Coney Barrett just weeks before the 2020 election. Who was the Senate leader whose strategy fundamentally reshaped the Supreme Court?
Mitch McConnell
While studying at Ohio State, JD Vance has said that several of the ideas that shaped his personal philosophy began taking form through his study of political philosophy. He has specifically credited an Ohio State PPE professor as an important intellectual influence. Who is the professor?
Eric MacGilvray
Before becoming a major research university, Ohio State was heavily influenced by the Morrill Act, which established colleges intended to focus on agriculture and the mechanical arts. What year was the Morrill Act that created the land-grant college system passed?
1862