History of Philosophy - Ancient (210-1-20)

Instructors

Daniel Everett Ferguson

Meeting Info

Harris Hall 107: Mon, Wed, Fri 10:00AM - 10:50AM

Overview of class

This course will introduce students to some of the most important ancient Greek and Roman texts that lie at the beginning of Western Philosophy. Plato, Aristotle, and later, Hellenistic authors have profound and provocative views about a wide range of fundamental philosophical questions: what there really is, whether knowledge is possible (and, if so, about what), how we should live our life, what the soul is and whether it is immortal, and how society is best arranged. We will study their answers to these questions with both a charitable and critical eye. In doing so, we will also gain facility in trying to come up with our own answers to these questions.

Class Materials (Required)

Class materials must be purchased.

All published by Hackett Publishing: Plato: Five Dialogues, Plato's Republic, Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, On the Nature of Things by Lucretius, The Handbook by Epictetus, and Sextus Empiricus: Selections from the Major Writings on Scepticism, Man, and God

Class Attributes

Ethics & Values Distro Area

Associated Classes

DIS - Locy Hall 110: Mon 3:00PM - 3:50PM

DIS - Locy Hall 305: Wed 4:00PM - 4:50PM

DIS - Kresge Centennial Hall 2-325: Tues 5:00PM - 5:50PM

DIS - Locy Hall 305: Tues 4:00PM - 4:50PM

DIS - Kresge Centennial Hall 2-331: Thurs 3:00PM - 3:50PM

DIS - Harris Hall L04: Fri 3:00PM - 3:50PM