Date

Topic

Reading   (Note: AP = Ancient Philosophy by Christopher Shields; AGP = Ancient Greek Philosophy edited by Cohen, Curd and Reeve;TBA means To Be Announced later)

Writing assignments due

Aug. 29

Introductory Session

Plato’s Euthyphro, in class

Sept. 5

Pre-Socratic theories about the nature of things

AP through p.31; AGP, pp1-107 (read the introduction and then whatever looks interesting to you)

Response paper

Sept. 12

Socrates: The man and his method

Apology, Crito in AGP pp.153-191; Meno in AGP, just the first part pp.241-249; AP pp.28-47, 53-58

Response paper

 Sept. 19

From Socrates to Plato

AP pp.61-72; Meno (2nd part) AGP pp.249-254; Phaedo in AGP pp. 267-319; Study Questions for Phaedo

Response paper

Sept. 26

Plato’s theory of Forms

AP pp.72-88; Aristotle, Metaphysics 987a29-987b13 (AGP p.805);review Phaedo 74a-76e (AGP pp.282-285); Symposium210a-212c (AGP pp.355-357); Republic 473b-480a (AGP pp.507-514)

Response paper

Oct. 3

Plato on justice

AP pp.88-100; Republic Bks II, III, and IV (AGP pp. 398-482)

Response paper

Oct. 10

Plato on knowledge

AP 100-106; Republic Bks VI and VII (AGP pp.515-566) [minimally read 504d-518d, AGP pp.534-546)

Response paper;1st position paper due

Oct. 17

Aristotle: categories and causes

AP pp.117-140; selections from Categories and Physics (AGP pp.694-700, 732-764)

Response paper

Oct. 24

Aristotle: mind, body and will

AP pp.140-144, 47-53, 154-156; selections from De Anima Bks II and III (AGP pp.851-869) and Nichomachean Ethics (AGP pp.890-901, 913-919)

Response paper

Oct. 31

Aristotle: virtue, happiness and the human function

AP pp.144-153;  selections from Nichomachean Ethics (AGP pp. 870-890 and 919-929)

Response paper

Nov 7

Plato, Aristotle and Politics

Republic BK 8 and 9; selections from Aristotle’s Politics (handout also here)

Response paper;2nd position paper due

Nov 14

Epicureans

AP, pp.167-182; Texts by Epicurus: 

1.  Letter to Herodotus:  http://www.epicurus.net/en/herodotus.html
2.  Letter to Menoeceus:  http://www.epicurus.net/en/menoeceus.html
3.  Principal Doctrines:  http://www.epicurus.net/en/principal.html
4.  Vatican Sayings:  http://www.epicurus.net/en/vatican.html

Response paper

Nov 21

Stoics

AP, pp.182-207; selections from Diogenes Laertius, "Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers" Bk 7, paras. 84-131 (scroll down to 84); Cicero, "On Fate" paras. 28-33 and 39-44;  and Epictetus "Enchiridion"

Response paper

Nov 28

Skeptics

AP, pp.207-229; Sextus Empiricus "Outlines of Pyrrhonism"

Response paper

Dec. 5

Wrap up

3rd position paper due