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 texts consist in primary works with a secondary
text, Irwin's Classical Thought, which is assigned in conjunction
with the primary texts. The lecture class (due to large size) also
encourages students to participate strongly in class discussion.
To this end, various questions and topics have been posed in the syllabus
for students to prepare for class discussion, in addition to their own
questions from the readings.
For class requirements, see below section III.
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: Complete Works,, ed. John Cooper (Hackett).
7. The Presocratic Philosophers, ed. Kirk and Raven (Cambridge).
III. Course Requirements :
Grading Components: the major components for the grading are the following:
1. Term paper: one final paper (about 8 pp.) on one of
the assigned topics (p. 4 syllabus).
2. Exams: one take-home mid-term (about 5 pp.), and one in-class
final exam. Final Exam : Tues. Dec. 10th 8-10 am. No alternates
given. (see p. 4 syllabus).
* Class discussion: brilliance in class (as well as its absence) will
be noted.
* Components: the final exam and term paper are weighed the same (about
a third each), the mid-term is weighed less (about a quarter), class discussion
makes up remainder (about 8-9 points). Discussion points may be earned
by making an oral presentation of a set text or a discussion question.
Syllabus
Week /
Assigned Texts & Central Topics
Week 1: Aug. 27-29.
Homer and the Archaic World; Hesiod.
TU: Intro. to course: early Greek thought: Homer, the Archaic period
(lecture).
TH: For class: read Irwin, chs. 2 (Homer), and read Kirk
and Raven, pp. 34-46: The Hesiodic Cosmogony (discussion).
Week 2: Sept. 3-5.
The Pre-Socratics.
TU: Thales, Heraklitus, Pythagoras. The Presocratics: read Kirk
and Raven, pp. 76-90: Thales; pp.181-212: Heraklitus, pp. 214-238: Pythagoras.
Select one of these thinkers on the nature of reality and being, and prepare
discussion.
TH: Parmenides: read Kirk and Raven, pp. 239-262: Parmenides focus:
What Is is One, Eternal, and Unmoving.
Week 3: Sept. 10-12.
Greek Atomism; Sophists.
TU: Atomism: read Kirk and Raven, pp.402-33; Read Irwin,
ch. 3: Naturalism.
TH Sophists (not in Kirk and Raven): also read Robinson, Intro.
to Early Greek Phil., ch. 12,Cudahy Class Reserves (on Sophists);
Plato, Protagoras 320c-324d (myth of Protagoras).
Week 4: Sept. 17-19.
The Sophists, and Poets on Women.
TU: Read Thucydides' Melian Debate-- read Bk. 5, sec. 84- Bk.
5, sec. 116 (download
and go to 5.84), also read Irwin, ch. 4: Doubts About Naturalism.
Students: prepare both the Athenian and the Melian sides of the debate
in Thucydides.
TH: read Euripedes' Medea. Focus on Jason's and Medea's
arguments: how do both sides invoke claims of justice?
Week 5: Sept. 24-26.
Poets and Plato on Women.
TU: read Aristophanes' Lysistrata, and Hesiod's
Theogony (download
and go to 507) Works and Days, (download
and go to 60). Compare Euripedes, Aristophanes and Hesiod on women's
nature. (Aristophanes: compare Lysistrata to the other women in A's
play-is Lysistrata an exception to feminine nature?).
TH: Plato on women rulers, read Republic V, 449a-464e. Also
read papers by Annas, Levin on Plato in Feminism and Ancient
Philosophy. Prepare analysis of one paper about Plato's position on
women.
Week 6: Oct. 1-3.
Socrates' Reply to the Sophists, the Nature of Philosophy.
TU: Read Plato, Euthyphro and Apology: focus, Socrates'
view on the nature of moral values, the practice of philosophy.
Also read Irwin, ch. 5: Socrates.
TH: Read Plato, Crito, focus: What is Socrates' argument about
the basis of legal obligation in Crito?
Week 7: Oct. 8-10.
Plato, the nature of knowledge and reality.
TU: Read Plato, Meno: whether virtue is teachable, knowledge
as recollection, distinguished from mere opinion.
TH: Read Plato, Phaedo: immortality of soul, knowledge and the
Forms, intellectual virtue. Also read Irwin, ch. 6: Plato.
TH: Students prepare one of P's arguments for immortality for discussion.
Week 8: Oct. 15-17.
Plato: immortality, recollection, a priori knowledge, nature and role
of Forms.
TU: Mid-Semester Break. No Class.
TH: Read Plato, Symposium: focus, Diotima's speech, Symposium
212c-223d.
TH: Take-Home Mid-Term Essays Due In Class.
Week 9: Oct. 22-24.
Plato's Republic.
TU: Read. Rep. Bks. I-II: justice; threats to justice: egoism;
Gyges' Ring, and T's challenge: the desirability of justice.
TH: Rep. Bks. III-IV: basic education of the guardians; description
of the just soul, answer to T..
Week 10: Oct. 29-31.
TU: Rep. V-V: three waves, sun, divided line: educational program
of rulers (note 469b-471e on Greeks, barbarians, slavery).
TH: Rep. VII: cave allegory, problem of philosopher-rulers.
Topic: what does the escaped prisoner know, and why should he or she want
to return to cave? Also read Parmenides, 126a-135e.
Week 11: Nov. 5-7.
Aristotle on the Substance and Nature of Wisdom.
TU: Read Aristotle, Metaphysics Bk. 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.
TH: Read Aris., Categories (all): focus, ch. 1-10.
Also read Irwin, ch. 7: Aristotle.
Week 12: Nov. 12-14.
Aristotle on Virtue and the Good Life.
TU: Read Aristotle, Ethics, Bk. I, 1-5, 7, 13: happiness and
the final end; Bk. II, 2-7, 9:
Topic: What is moral virtue and how do we attain it?
TH: Read Aristotle, Ethics Bk VI, 1-13: Bk. X, 6-9: practical
reason and moral virtue; moral virtue and contemplation.
Week 13: Nov. 19-21.
Aristotle on soul and intellect.
TU: Read Aristotle On the Soul, Bk. II, chs. 1-5 (on the
soul as actuality of the body) , ch. 12 (on the nature of perception).
TH: read On the Soul, Bk. III, chs. 1-6: active and potential
mind, the nature of thought.
TH: prepare "What is the nature of the activity of the mind (Bk. III)?"
Week 13: Nov. 19-21.
The Four Causes, Form, Matter, Act, Potency and A's Biology.
TU: Read Aristotle, Physics Bks. II, III, focus: I, 8, and II,
2-4: doctrine of the four causes.
TH: Read Aristotle, Generation of Animals , Bks. I: chs. 1,
17, 18, 20- 23, and Bk. II: esp. chs. 1-5. Note: not all assigned text
in McKeon. Discussion: theories of sexual reproduction: pangenesis;
A's theory: sperma, catamenia as form and matter.
Week 14: Nov. 26-28.
A's Metaphysical Biology (cont.).
TU: A's Biology cont.: read papers by D. Tress and K. Cook in Feminism
and Ancient Philosophy (ed. Ward). Discussion of two positions:
does A. provide a positive role for female contribution in his theory of
reproduction?
TH: Thanksgiving Break. No Class.
Week 15: Dec. 3rd.
TU: Last Class: cont. of Aristotle.
Tues. Dec. 10th, 8-10 am: Final Exam, In-Class (2 hours). No alternates.
Ground Rules :
1. Mid-Term and Final Term paper are due on day specified; no late
exams or papers. If you are sick, call me before due date.
2. Final Exam is set up only for the scheduled date; I do not make
alternate exams. Schedule your final exam on your calendar now.
3. Regular class attendance and participation based on the required
reading is expected.
4. Students are responsible for making up material from absent class
sessions-- get notes from fellow students and study texts.
choose one.
1. Discuss the outlines of two of these positions: Heraklitus, Parmenides, or Atomism on the nature of reality (or substance) and knowledge. Use specific texts for analysis and discussion.
2. Discuss Plato and one or two of these thinkers on the nature and capabilities of women: Hesiod, Aristophanes, Euripedes. Set out Plato's argument in Rep. V, as well as considering the papers by Annas and Levin on Plato.
3. What was the challenge about the nature of moral values that the Sophists presented? How did Socrates reply to this challenge in Apology, Euth., Crito? (Choose one or two texts).
Final Exam Review Topics:
1. Aristophanes, Euripedes, Hesiod, and Plato each wrote about the natures and capabilities of women. Using specific texts, explain whether the poets and the philosopher agree in their views on women's capacities for reason and political participation.
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. Include a discussion of the papers of D. Tress and K. Cook on this topic.
3. Aristotle in De Anima Bk. II claims that the soul is a first actuality of the body (cf. 412a23-27). Explain what Aristotle means by this claim, what kind of status soul has, and whether it conflicts with his position on the intellect in Bk. III, 4-5.
4. In the Metaphysics, Aristotle gives arguments criticizing Plato's theory of Ideas: what are some of these specific criticisms? In addition to his criticisms, discuss his own theory of substance in Categories as a response to Plato's position.