In this course we shall cover the foundations of Western philosophy in ancient Greek thinking about humanity and nature, including the pre-Socratics, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. We shall consider the basic philosophical issues raised by the aforementioned thinkers, as well as the historical and cultural context in which their thought arises. We shall give special consideration, furthermore, to the different interpretations of Greek texts made possible by different interpretive frameworks. Thus we shall pay close attention not only to the Greek works themselves but also to the kinds of questions we ask about them and the consequences which our questions have for our interpretations. If we are successful, you will have become conversant with the fundamental questions of philosophy as they have been handed down from the Greeks as well as with the problems of textual interpretation raised by some recent and contemporary philosophers.

Course Requirements:

Gordon Rule Writing Requirement: At least 6000 words of writing are required of every student. Written assignments and their weights in the determination of the final grade appear below:

1. Three essays, each at least 1,500 words in length, each 20% of the final grade = 60%
2. A series of three reading responses, each at least 500 words in length, each 10% of final grade = 30%
3. Class participation, including discussion, a series of quizzes (in essay format, each typically 350 words in length) = 10 % of final grade.

Total written words to be completed in the course: 6,700--7,400.
4. An On-line style manual for MLA and other preferred formats will be employed.
5. Writing will be graded for grammar, mechanics, organization, argumentation and style.
6. Students enrolled in my section of Writing in the Humanities will turn in a series of rough drafts for papers due in Ancient Greek Philosophy; these are to be discussed and developed in the class’s weekly hour session.

Ackrill, J.L. Aristotle the Philosopher
Fine, Gail, ed. Plato I: Metaphysics and Epistemology (reserve copy may be available)
Cohen, Marc et al. Readings in Ancient Greek Philosophy
Plato. Sophist. Nicholas P. White, trans.

Recommended Texts and Reserve Readings (some readings may still be on order and so temporarily unavailable):

Barnes, Jonathan, Early Greek Philosophy
---. Ed. , Cambridge Companion to Aristotle
Burnet, J. Greek Philosophy: from Thales to Plato
Fine, Gail, ed. Plato I: Metaphysics and Epistemology
Heidegger, M. Early Greek Thinking
Gadamer, H.G. Dialogue and Dialectic
Kraut, R. Cambridge Companion to Plato.
Long, A.A. , Cambridge Companion to Early Greek Philosophy
Rice, D. A Guide to Plato’s Republic

Electronic Sources:

Some Guidelines for Writing Papers in Philosophy:

Williams College: "Paper Writing Strategies for Introductory Philosophy Courses": http://www.williams.edu/acad-depts/philosophy/jcruz/writingtutor/

Watson, Ellen, University of Queensland : "A Guide for Writing Papers in Philosophy": http://www.uq.oz.au/~pdgdunn/watessay.htm

Pryor, James, Harvard University: "Guidelines on Writing a Philosophy Paper": http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~jpryor/general/writing.html

Portmore, Douglas, College of Charleston: "Tips on Writing a Philosophy Paper":  http://www.cofc.edu/~portmord/tips.htm

"A Brief Guide for Writing Philosophy Papers": http://www.nwmissouri.edu/~rfield/guide.html

Franklin, R.L., University of New England: "On Writing Philosophy Assignments": http://www.uq.edu.au/~pdgdunn/rlfessay.htm

Studying Philosophy on the Internet:

American Philosophical Association: http://www.udel.edu/apa/

"Aristotle": Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy: http://www.utm.edu/research/iep/a/aristotl.htm

Biography of Aristotle: http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Aristotle.html

Biography of Plato: http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Mathematicians/Plato.html

Exploring Plato’s Dialogues: http://plato.evansville.edu/

Greek Philosophy Archive: http://graduate.gradsch.uga.edu:80/archive/Greek.html

Internet Classics Archive: http://classics.mit.edu/index.html

Origins of Western Thought (Presocratic Philosophy): http://people.delphi.com/gkemerling/hy/2b.htm

Perseus Project: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/

Philosophy Resources on the Internet: http://www.epistemelinks.com/Main/MainPers.asp

Philosophy Text Collection: Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy: http://www.utm.edu/research/iep/philtext.htm

Presocratic Philosophy: http://www.forthnet.gr/presocratics/indeng.htm

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: http://plato.stanford.edu/

PHH 3100 Course Syllabus D. White
 

Week                     (Unless otherwise indicated, the readings listed below are from Cohen’s Ancient Greek Philosophy.)

1 Aug. 24                          Course Introduction; Early Greek philosophy and cultural history;
                                          From Mythology to Philosophy: Homer, Hesiod and the Presocratics,
                                          Cohen, pp. 1-7;

2 Aug. 29-31                     The Milesians: Posting the question: "What one thing accounts for all other things?":
                                          Thales, Anixamander Anaximenes.  Music, Mathematics and the Order of Things: Pythagoras and Pythagoreanism, Philolaus;
                                          The origins of the European sciences:

3 Sept. 5-7                         Poetry and Philosophy: Xenophanes; all things in flux: Heraclitus; The Logic of Being: Parmenides. Response 1 due.

4 Sept. 12-14                     The reconciliation of changeless being with changeful phenomena: Pluralism: Empedocles, Anaxagoras; Atomism: Leucippus and
                                           Democritus.

5 Sept. 19-21                     The Sophists: Philosophy and Rhetoric; Protagoras, Gorgias, Antiphon, and Critias, Essay 1 due.
                                           Sept 21: last day to drop without a  W.

6 Sept. 26-28                     Rethinking the Greek Intellectual Tradition: Socrates and Plato: Cohen, pp. 83-90; What is piety? Euthyphro. Socrates’ self-defense:
                                           Apology;  Gregory Vlastos, "The Socratic Elenchus," in Fine, Ch. 1.

7 Oct. 3-5                          Socrates on civic duty and law: Crito; Vlastos, "Socrates’ Disavowal of Knowledge," Finc. Ch. 2.

Oct 10-12                         Socrates versus the sophists: knowledge, persuasion and virtue: Plato,
                                         selections from Protagoras and Gorgias;  Response 2 due.

9 Oct. 17-19                     Knowledge, recollection, virtue and immortality: Plato: Selections from Meno and Phaedo; Dominic Scott, "Platonic Recollection," Fine
                                          pp. 83-124; Oct. 20, last day to drop with a W.

10 Oct. 24-26                   Plato on Power, Justice and the Ideal State: from Republic, books I-IV.  T. H. Irwin, "The Theory of Forms," Fine, pp. 143-170.

11 Oct. 31-Nov. 2            Knowledge, Belief, Appearance and Reality: Plato’s Republic, from books V-VII; Gail Fine, "Knowledge and Belief in Republic 5-7"
                                         in Fine, pp. 215-246. Essay 2 Due

12 Nov. 7-9                     Philosophy, Art and Politics: from Republic, book 10.  Plato revisits an old problem and his own theory, from Parmenides.

13 Nov. 14-16                 Plato versus the Sophists (again): Catching a wily rhetorician in the waters of being and not-being: The Sophist. G.E.L. Owen, "Plato on
                                         not-being," Fine pp.275-297.

14 Nov. 21                       Aristotle’s methodology of knowledge: Ackrill, Introduction and Chapter 2; selections from Aristotle’s Categories and De
                                         Interpretione.  Response 3 due

15 Nov. 28-30                 Aristotle’s analysis of Change: a new look at an old problem: Ackril, Ch. 3, Aristotle, from Physics and On Generation and
                                        Corruption.

16 Dec. 5                         Aristotle’s critique of the Greek tradition: the logic of knowledge and reality: Ackrill, ch. 9, selections from Metaphysics.

17 Dec. 8-14                    ESSAY 3 (FINAL) DUE by class time, TUESDAY, DEC. 12.