Ancient Philosophy
Fall 2015. EC 300. TR 10:30 – 11:45
Instructor: Chauncey Maher | maherc@dickinson.edu | East College 202
Office Hours: TW 3-4, or by appointment
Course Description
This course is an introduction to ancient philosophy, focusing on the work of Plato and
Aristotle, probably the most influential philosophers in history. We will begin the course with
Plato and finish it with Aristotle. We will be concerned with two big themes: the mind (or soul)
and the state. Thus, on one hand, we will consider what it is for individual human beings to
understand and affect the world; on the other hand, we will consider how humans ought to live
with one another. We will see that Plato and Aristotle think these topics are deeply connected,
mainly in their conceptions of human happiness (or eudaimonia).
Goals
-improve ability to read philosophical texts
-improve ability to identify, construct, clarify, and assess arguments in discussion and writing
-learn significant claims and arguments of ancient philosophers (esp. Plato and Aristotle)
Texts
Ackrill (ed.). A New Aristotle Reader. ISBN 978-0691020433
Aristotle. Nicomachean Ethics. ISBN 9780872204645
Aristotle. Politics. ISBN 9780872203884
Euripides. Iphigeneia at Aulis. ISBN 978-0195077094
Plato. Republic. Trans. Ferrari. ISBN 978-0521484435
Plato. Five Dialogues. Trans. Grube. 2nd edition. ISBN 978-0872206335
Plato. Theaetetus. Trans. Burnyeat. ISBN 978-0915144815
Sophocles, Antigone. Trans. Fitz & Fitzgerald. ISBN 015602764X
+ Photocopies on Moodle
Evaluation
Participation (20% of Final Grade)
Philosophical issues are often more easily grasped when discussed with others. Our meetings
will be a mix of presentations by me and discussion. Each time you properly participate, you
earn 1 point. You need 15 points to receive an ‘A’ for participation. I will track this on Moodle
each week. You are responsible for checking regularly to be sure that this record is accurate.
Please email me immediately if you notice a discrepancy.
What counts as proper participation?
A comment or question on a specific remark made by an author, or one of your peers, or me.
It can focus on meaning or interpretation. You should be prepared to explain what you think
the person means.
Example: ‘What does Socrates mean when he says that it is always better to be just?’
Or it can focus on truth and rational support. You should be prepared to say why you think the
person’s claim does not seem true or well supported.
Example: ‘Socrates claims that it is always better to be just rather than unjust, but he doesn’t
seem to have a good reason for it.’
What does not count as proper participation?
-Simply attending class
-Asking what the reading is for next time
-Saying ‘Yea’ in response to someone else
-Saying needlessly obscure things, such as, ‘The central impediment to a transcendental
deduction of the marginalization of the epistemic condition of the proletariat is what the poststructuralist movement has called ‘the malaise of language.’
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Essays (80% of final grade)
Our discussions should help you write philosophical essays. Your performance on these
essays will be worth 80% of your final grade. Detailed prompts for each essay will be
distributed at least one week before they are due.
Essay 1: Plato
3 pages
20%
Due 9/22
Essay 2: Plato
5 pages
30%
Due 11/3
Essay 3: Aristotle
5 pages
30%
Due 12/16 2pm
Schedule of Readings (tentative)
Date
Topic
Reading (for this day in class)
9/1
Introduction to the course
(None)
T
PLATO
9/3
What is the value of philosophy?
R
What is philosophy?
9/8
Should one obey the law?
Sophocles, Antigone
The Socratic Method
Euthyphro (in Five Dialogues)
Apology (in Five Dialogues)
T
9/10
The Search for Definitions
9/15
What is the value of reason?
Euripides, Iphigenia at Aulis
The Paradox of Inquiry
Meno (in Five Dialogues)
T
9/17
The Doctrine of Recollection
9/22
“Knowledge is perception”
T
What is perception?
Theaetetus
1st Essay Due
9/24
“Knowledge is true belief”
1st Essay Due
Theaetetus
What is false belief?
3
9/29
“Knowledge is true belief with an
T
account”
Theaetetus
What is an account?
10/1
What is justice? Why be just?
Republic, I
10/6
Why be just?
Republic, I-II
The ideal state
Republic, III-IV
T
10/8
Justice in the ideal state
10/13
Who should rule?
Republic, VI [Skim V]
Who should rule?
Republic, VII
T
10/15
The allegory of the cave
10/20
Fall Pause
Fall Pause
T
No Class
No Class
10/22
What is wrong with democracy?
Republic, VIII-IX
10/27
Tyranny and Tyrants
Republic, VIII-IX
T
Does Socrates meet Thrasymachus’s
challenge?
10/29
Peer Review
Peer Review
ARISTOTLE
11/3
What is the aim of a good human life?
T
11/5
NE, Book I
2nd Essay Due
Change and persistence
2nd Essay Due
Physics I: 7-9
Physics II
Parts of Animals I: 1, 5
11/10
Explaining change
Metaphysics VII: 1-4; VIII: 1-2; XII: 6-9
11/12
Hylomorphism and essence
De Anima II: 1-3
11/17
The Mind
De Anima II: 5, 12; III: 4-5
T
T
Posterior Analytics I-III
11/19
Reason and action
NE, Books II-III
11/24
Virtues
NE, Books IV-VI
4
T
11/26
Thanksgiving Break
Thanksgiving Break
No Class
No Class
12/1
Friendship
NE, Books VII-IX
T
Contemplation
NE, Book X
12/3
The State
Politics, I-III, VII
12/8
Justice
Politics, I-III, VII
Peer Review
Peer Review
T
12/10
12/16
3rd Essay Due
3rd Essay Due
W
2pm, via email
2pm, via email
Academic Honesty
Any case of suspected academic dishonesty must be reported. Note: “To plagiarize is to
use without proper citation or acknowledgment the words, ideas, or work of another.
Plagiarism is a form of cheating that refers to several types of unacknowledged borrowing.”
When in doubt, cite it. For more information, please see the handbook on Community
Standards here:
http://www.dickinson.edu/student/files/commstand0809.pdf
Disabilities
I will make reasonable academic accommodations for students with documented
disabilities. If you think you are eligible for such accommodation, please first register with
Disability
Services
in
Biddle
House,
specifically
Stephanie
Anderberg
(245-1080;
disabilityservices@dickinson.edu). If you are eligible, Marni Jones, Director of Learning Skills
and Disability Services, will provide you with a letter attesting to that. Once you have that
letter, we can meet to discuss what we need to do. All of that must happen in the first three
weeks of the semester.
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