Phil 375 – Ancient GreekPhilosophy --Fall, 2014
Metropolitan Sate University
Syllabus (Note: this is the syllabus handed out on the first night of class. Check the schedule below for updates and corrections)
Wrigint assignments ((Note: These assignments are carried over from the last time I taught this course. They probably won't change much, but check back for updated versions befire you write your papers.)
First Position Paper assignment
Second Position Paper Assignment
Resources:
Paper writing guides:
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 |
Handouts, etc. |
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Aug. 28 |
Introductory Session |
Plato’s Euthyphro, in class |
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Sept. 4 |
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 |
Discussion project on the a priori and the a posteriori |
Sept. 11 |
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 |
Discussion Project on Counterexamples |
Sept. 18 |
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 |
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Sept. 25 |
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 |
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Oct. 2 |
Plato on justice |
AP pp.88-100; Republic Bks II, III, and IV (AGP pp. 398-482) |
Response paper |
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Oct. 9 |
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; |
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Oct. 16 |
Aristotle: categories and causes |
AP pp.117-140; selections from Categories and Physics (AGP pp.694-700, 732-764) |
Response paper |
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Oct. 23 |
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 |
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Oct. 30 |
Aristotle: virtue, happiness and the human function |
AP pp.144-153; selections from Nichomachean Ethics (AGP pp. 870-890 and 919-929) |
Response paper |
Aristotelian Virtues |
Nov 6 |
Plato, Aristotle and Politics |
Republic BK 8 and 9; selections from Aristotle’s Politics (handout also here) |
Response paper; |
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Nov 13 |
Epicureans |
AP, pp.167-182; Texts by Epicurus: 1. Letter to Herodotus: http://www.epicurus.net/en/herodotus.html |
Response paper |
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Nov 20 |
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 |
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Nov 27 | Thanksgiveing Hoiday - No class | |||
Dec. 4 |
Skeptics |
AP, pp.207-229; Sextus Empiricus "Outlines of Pyrrhonism" |
Response paper |
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Dec. 11 |
Wrap up |
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