Phil 3151: History of Ancient Philosophy

University of Minnesota, Morris
Spring 2013

Raphael: The School of Athens (1509-1510)

Course Description: This course serves as a broad survey of Ancient Philosophy. Topics include: love, truth, virtue, happiness, fatalism, relativism, skepticism, politics, emotions, and tragedy.

Course Requirements: Two exams (25% each), paper (30%), attendance and participation (20%).

Required Texts:

Plato: Parmenides, Theaetetus, and Gorgias
Aristotle: Selections
Cicero: On Academic Skepticism and On Moral Ends
Inwood and Gerson: Hellenistic Philosophy
Sophocles: Oedipus Rex
Euripides: Medea
Briggs Library E-Reserves (*)

Class Schedule

1. Presocratics

a. Parmenides (*)
b. Empedocles (*)

2. Plato's Metaphysics

Parmenides, 126a-132b

3. Plato's Metaphysics II

Parmenides, 132c-135d

4. Aristotle's Metaphysics

De Interpretatione, 1-4, 7, 9
Stoics on Fate (IG 179-190)

5. Plato's Epistemology I

Theaetetus, 142a-168c

6. Plato's Epistemology II

Theaetetus, 168d-190e

7. Aristotle's Epistemology

Metaphysics, Book I.1-2 (221-227)
Posterior Analytics, Book I.1-4 (37-48) and Book II.8-10, 19 (61-8)
Topics, Book I.1-5, 10 (69-75, 76-77) and Book IX.24 (80-82)

8. Pyrrhonian Skepticism

Sextus Empiricus: Outlines of Skepticism III.22 (IG 285-97); III.27, 29-32 (IG 309-11); III.29 (IG 316-17); III.33 (IG 321-25)
Annas and Barnes: "Customs and Persuasions" (*)

9. Academic Skepticism

Background to Stoic Epistemology: Diogenes Laertius 7. 42-54 (IG 111-54)
Sextus Empiricus: Outline of Pyrrhonism, Ch. 33 (IG 311-314)
Academica, Book Two, Lucullus's Speech (8-37)

10. Academic Skepticism II

Background to Academic Skepticism (IG 261-266)
Academica, Book Two, Cicero's Speech (38-85)

11. Plato's Ethics I

Protagoras 320c-323c (*)
Gorgias, 482c-499b
Republic 358c-360d (*)

12. Plato's Ethics II

Gorgias, 499c-527e
Republic Book IV 436a-444a, Book IX 588b-590d (*)
Phaedrus 253d-254e (*)

13. Aristotle's Ethics

Nichomachean Ethics, Books II, III.6-12, IV.5

14. Epicurean Ethics

"Letter to Menoeceus" (IG 28-31)
Principal Doctrines (IG 32-36)
On Moral Ends, Book One

15. Epicurean Ethics II

On Moral Ends, Book Two

16. Stoic Ethics

Background to Stoic Ethics (IG 190-203)
On Moral Ends, Book Three

17. Stoic Ethics II

On Moral Ends, Book Four

18. Plato's Political Philosophy

Republic, Book VI (*)
Statesman, 291d-303b (*)

19. Aristotle's Political Philosophy

Politics, Book I.1-2; III.4-9, 11; VII.1-3, 8-9, 13, 15
Rhetoric, Book I: 1-2, 5-6

20. Plato's Philosophy of Art

Republic, Book X (*)

21. Aristotle on Tragedy

Poetics 4, 6-11, 13-15
Rhetoric, II. 1, 2, 5, 8

22. Oedipus Rex by Sophocles

Oedipus the King

23. Medea by Euripedes

Medea
Selections from Epictetus and Galen