Phil 375 – Ancient GreekPhilosophy -- Spring 2017
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)
Writing 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 (updated for Spring 2017)
Second Position Paper Assignment (updated for Spring 2017)
Third Position Paper Assignment (updated for Spring 2017)
Resources:
Paper writing guides:
Tentative schedule of Assignments
Date |
Topic |
Reading (Note: DR = The Dream of Reason by Anthony Gottlieb; AGP = Readings in Ancient Greek Philosophy edited by Cohen, Curd and Reeve. |
Writing assignments due |
Jan. 11 |
Introductory Session |
Plato's Euthyphro, in class (in AGP) |
|
Jan. 18 |
Pre-Socratic theories about the nature of things |
DR, Intro and Chapters 1-8 (skip a few, if you are pressed for time); AGP, pp.1-107 (read the introduction and then whatever looks interesting to you - just to get a flavor of the kind of fragmentary texts we have left to us) |
Response paper |
Jan. 25 |
Socrates: The man and his method |
Apology, Crito in AGP pp.153-191; Meno in AGP, just the first part pp.241-249; last few pages of the Phaedo; DR, Chapters 9 and 10 to page 150. |
Response paper |
Feb. 1 |
From Socrates to Plato |
DR pp.150-167 (skip the last section of Chapter 10), 176-188 (first sections of Chapter 11); Meno (2nd part) AGP pp.249-254; Phaedo in AGP pp. 267-319 |
Response paper |
Feb. 8 |
Plato on justice |
DR pp.188-193; Republic Bks II, III, and IV (AGP pp. 398-482) |
Response paper |
Feb. 15 |
Plato on knowledge and the Forms |
DR pp.193- 200; Republic Bks V, VI, and VII (AGP pp.515-566) [minimally read 473b-480a (AGP pp.507-514), 504d-518d (AGP pp.534-546)]; Symposium 210a-212c (AGP pp.355-357); Aristotle, Metaphysics 987a29-987b13 (AGP p.805); review Phaedo 74a-76e (AGP pp.282-285) |
Response paper |
Feb. 22 |
Aristotle: four causes and unmoved movers |
DR pp 229-261; selections from Physics (AGP pp. 732-764) [minimally, read Bk II, Chs 3-8 and Bk VIII, Ch. 6 (AGP pp.745-756 and763-764) |
Response paper; |
1-Mar |
Aristotle: mind, body and will |
DR pp.240-241; selections from De Anima Bks II and III (AGP pp.851-869) and Nichomachean Ethics Bks III and VII (AGP pp.890-901, 913-919) |
Response paper; First position paper due |
8-Mar |
Spring Break |
No class |
|
15-Mar |
Aristotle: virtue and happiness |
DR pp.273-284; selections from Nichomachean Ethics (AGP pp. 870-890 and 919-929) |
Response paper |
22-Mar |
Plato, Aristotle and Politics |
DR pp.200-212; Republic Bks VIII and IX (AGP pp. 567-615); selections from Aristotle's Politics (handout), plus AGP pp. 933-937 |
Response paper |
Mar. 29 |
Therapeutic Arguments |
Nussbaum, The Therapy of Desire, Chapter 1 |
|
5-Apr |
Aristotelian Therapy |
Nussbaum, The Therapy of Desire, Chapters 2 and 3 |
Response paper; 2nd position paper due |
12-Apr |
Epicurean Therapy |
Nussbaum, The Therapy of Desire, Chapters 4 and 5 |
Response paper |
19-Apr |
Skeptic Therapy |
Nussbaum, The Therapy of Desire, Chapter 8 |
Response paper |
26-Apr |
Stoic Therapy |
Nussbaum, The Therapy of Desire, Chapters 9 and 10 |
Response paper; |