I. Course Description :
This course introduces the philosophy major to some of the central philosophical thinkers of the ancient Greek period with an emphasis on the thought of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. We explore the foundations of classical Greek philosophy by considering the archaic and pre-Socratic periods through readings in Greek literature and pre-Socratic philosophy. The central weeks are devoted to the ideas developed by Socrates, his student, Plato and Plato's successor, Aristotle, especially in ethics and metaphysics. The readings and class discussion cover some of the fundamental themes in Western philosophy, including what is real, what we can know, and in what the best human life consists. In conjunction with these questions, we also consider specific issues such as the social role and function of women, whether moral values are conventional or not, and whether philosophers should be rulers. The basic background text will be Irwin's Classical Thought, which must be read in con junction with the primary texts, as assigned. The class will consist in some lecture, but a substantial amount of time will be devoted to class discussion based upon class homework assignments on given topics. Students will be expected also to contribute daily to class discussion in order to further their own philosophical understanding of the textual material. For class requirements, see below section III. The overall aim of the class is to acquaint students with some of the central Greek texts so that they become familiar with the major tendencies in Greek philosophical thought.

II. Required Course Texts (at Campus Bookstore):
1. Aristotle, Basic Works, ed. R. McKeon (Random House).
2. Classical Thought, Terence Irwin (Oxford).
3. Feminism and Ancient Philosophy, ed. Julie K. Ward (Routledge).
4. Lysistrata and other plays, Aristophanes (Penguin).
5. Medea and other plays, Euripedes (Penguin).
6. Plato: Five Dialogues, tr. Grube (Hackett).
7. Plato, The Republic, tr. Grube (Hackett).
8. Plato, The Symposium, tr. Grube (Hackett).
9. The Presocratic Philosophers, ed. Kirk and Raven (Cambridge).

III. Course Requirements :
Grading Components: the major components for the grading are the following:
1. Homework Assignments: Possible 8 of 9, for 40 pts. (5 pts each). These are typed, about 1 page long, and answer the summary question specified in the syllabus based upon the assigned text. To earn points,summaries must be turned in on the assigned day, during class time.No make ups!
2. Exams: one mid-term and one final exam: 25 pts. each exam.
3. Discussion: assessed as either 0, 5, or 10 pts. depending on level of class discussion.

Syllabus
Week Reading Text & Topic

Week One: Homer and the Archaic World; The Presocratic Thinkers.
7/2: Early Greek Thought: Homer, the Archaic period (lecture).
7/3: For class: read Irwin, chs. 2 - 3 (Homer; Naturalism), and read Kirk and Raven, pp. 34-46: The Hesiodic Cosmogony (discussion).
7/4: Holiday, no class.
7/5-7/9: The Presocratics: 7/5: Read Kirk and Raven, scan pp. 76-90: Thales, and study pp.181-212: Heraklitus, pp. 214-238: Pythagoras. Homework Summary #1 Due 7/5:  Choosing either Heraklitus or Pythagoras, explain how they describe the nature of Being. Use specific texts or fragments as your support (include line numbers from Kirk and Raven).

Week Two: Parmenides; Nature of Women.
7/9: For class, read Kirk and Raven, pp. 239-262: Parmenides, and prepare to discuss why P. thinks that What Is is One, Eternal, and Unmoving. (See also on-line text site for Parmenides) (download).
7/10-7/12: Poets and Plato on Women: 7/10: For class, read Euripedes' Medea, and Hesiod, Theogony , (download and go to 507) Works and Days, (download and go to 60) : Summary # 2 Due 7/10: Compare Euripedes and Hesiod on women's nature.
7/11: For class, read Aristophanes' Lysistrata: discussion, compare Lysistrata to the other women in A's play-is Lysistrata an exception to feminine nature, acc. to A.?
7/12: Read, Plato, Republic V, 449a-464e: Summary # 3 Due 7/12: What is Plato's argument for women rulers? Read also papers by Annas, Levin on Plato in Feminism and Ancient Philosophy.

Week Three: Socrates and Greek Humanism: the Sophists and the Nomos -Physis Debate.
7/16: For class, read Robinson, ch. 12, Cudahy Reserve on the Sophists; class handout, Plato, Protagoras; download, Thucydides, Melian Debate (read 5.84-5.116 (download and go to 5.84) and Irwin, ch. 4: Doubts About Naturalism. Summary # 4 Due 7/16: What was the Sophists' argument about the nature of moral values? (See Robinson).
7/17: Read Irwin, ch. 5: Socrates, and Plato, Euthyphro, Apology: focus, Socrates' view on the nature of moral values, the practice of philosophy.
7/18: read Plato, Crito, Meno: Summary # 5 Due7/18: What is Socrates' argument about the basis of legal obligation in Crito? Also, discussion, Meno: whether virtue is teachable, opinion vs. knowledge; 7/19: Discussion, Meno cont.
7/19: In-Class Mid-Term Exam (1 hr.). No Make up exams. See Review Topics Below.

Week Four: Plato's Theories of Recollection, Forms and Immortality; Justice and the Best Society.
7/23 : Read Irwin, ch. 6: Plato, and Plato, Phaedo (all)  and Symposium (212c-223d): discussion, focus on P's arguments for immortality, recollection and a priori knowledge, nature of Forms.
7/24: Cont. texts, focus on P's arguments about the function and nature of Forms, Phaedo, Symp.
7/25: Read Plato, Republic , Bks. I-IV (skim II-III, focus IV): discussion, Plato on justice and the just soul (Bks. I, IV).
7/26: Read: Plato, Republic, Bks. V-VII: focus, Sun. Line, Cave; (note V, 469b-471e on Greeks vs. barbarians, slavery); Summary #6 Due 7/26: What does the escaped prisoner come to know? Why is this important? (Bk. VII).

Week Five: Aristotle on the Nature of Wisdom, the Best Life and the Soul.
7/30: For class, read Aristotle, Metaphysics I, chs. 1-6, 9-10: what the philosopher knows, criticism of Plato; Bk. XI, ch. 7, Bk. XII, chs. 1-8: the nature of science, sensible substances, and Prime Movers.
7/31: For class, read Aristotle, Ethics, Bk. I, 1-5, 7, 13: happiness and the final end; Bk. II, 2-7, 9: Summary # 7 Due 7/31: What is moral virtue and how do we attain it? 8/1: Read Aristotle, Ethics Bk VI, 1-13: Bk. X, 6-9: practial reason; moral virtue vs. contemplation as the best life.
8/2: Read Aristotle, On the Soul, Bks. II, 1-5, 12, Bk. III, 3-6: Summary # 8 Due 8/2: What is the nature of the activity of the mind (Bk. III)? Discussion of A's notion of the soul, perception and thought. Read Irwin, ch. 7: Aristotle.

Week 6: Aristotle's Biology: The Four Causes, Form, Matter, Act, Potency.
8/6: Read Aristotle, Physics Bks. II, III, focus: I, 8, and II, 2-4: Summary # 9 Due (optional): what are the four causes for A.?
8/7: Read Aristotle, Generation of Animals , Bks. I: chs. 1, 17, 18, 20- 23, and Bk. II: handout: theories of sexual reproduction: pangenesis; A's theory: sperma, catamenia as form and matter. Also, read papers by Tress, Cook in Feminism and Ancient Philosophy.
8/7: Study Day, No Class.

8/8: Final Exam (In-class essay): 2 hours. No make up exam. See Review Topics Below.

Ground Rules :
1. All homework summaries are due in class on the day specified; no late assignments will earn points.
2. Each homework is worth 5 points; the maximum points earned is 40.
3. Regular class attendance and participation based on the required reading is expected: students should note that each class session in summer is worth about one week of classes on a 15-week term.
4. Students are responsible for making up the material from missed class sessions on their own.
 

Mid-Term Review Topics:

1. Compare and contrast Heraklitus and Parmenides on the nature of reality and knowledge.

2. What was the challenge about the nature of moral values the Sophists presented? What did Socrates argue in response to this challenge?

3. What does Socrates' claim in the Apology that the unexamined life is not worth living mean? What does Socrates think we should examine, and why?

4. Aristophanes, Euripedes, Hesiod, and Plato all wrote about women, their natures and capabilities. Do the poets and the philosopher agree in their views on women's capacities for reason and political participation?

Final Exam Review Topics:

1. In The Republic, Plato argues that in the best city the rulers should be philosophers-why so? Discuss the nature of the philosopher's activity in Republic, and then consider whether Aristotle's position on the best life in the Ethics coincides with that of Plato. Use specific texts from P. and A. to support your answer.

2. Aristotle uses his metaphysical notions of form and matter, actuality and potentiality, as well as the four causes in his theory of reproduction in Gen. An . Bks. I-II. Explain his theory from Bk. I, chs. 17-20, and Bk. II, chs. 1-6 using these specific notions.

3. Compare and contrast Pythagoras, Plato and Aristotle on the nature of the soul.

4. Explain the features of Plato's Forms, and why he argues they exist. What are some of Aristotle's specific objections to Plato's Forms?