PHIL 212: ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY MWF: 3 3:50 pm 114 Randell Hall Dr. Amy S. Bush Office: 0032 MacAlister Hall (basemen t of MacAlister, in the writing center, Office D) e-mail: asb48@drexel.edu Mailbox: 5057 MacAlister Hall (fifth floor of MacAlister) Office Hours: MWF 4:15 5:15 pm QUOTES FROM ANCIENT PHILOSOPHERS: To Be Discussed the First Day of Class PRESOCRATICS: THE BEGINNINGS OF WESTERN PHILOSOPHY, THE RISE OF LOGOS If oxen and horses and lions had hands and were able to draw with their hands and do the same things as men, horses would draw the shapes of gods to look like horses and oxen to look like oxen, and each would make the gods bodies have the same shape as they themselves had. Xenophanes as cited by Clement, Miscellanies 5.110 = 21B15 This logos holds always but humans always prove unable to understand it, both before hearing it and when they have first heard it. For though all things come to be [or, happen] in accordance with this logos, humans are like the inexperienced when they experience such words and deeds as I set out, distinguishing each in accordance with its nature and saying how it is. Heraclitus, as cited by Sextus Empiricus, Against the Mathematicians 7.132 = 22B1 [It is not possible to step twice into the same river].it scatters and again comes together, and approaches and recedes. Heraclitus, as cited by Plutarch, On the E at Delphi 392B = 22B91a,b Such, unchanging, is that for which as a whole the name is `to be. Parmenides, as cited by Plato, Theaetetus 180e = The Cornford Fragment THE SOPHISTS: TEACHERS OF RHETORIC A human being is the measure of all things of thins that are, that they are, and of things that are not, that they are not. Protagorus, cited by Sextus Empiricus, Against the Mathematicians 7.60 = 80B1 SOCRATES AND PLATO: WHO IS THE PHILOSOPHER? HOW DOES LOVE PLAY A ROLE IN THE LOVE OF WISDOM? Socrates: My art of midwifery is in general like theirs; the only difference is that my patients are men, not women, and my concern is not with the body but with the soul that is in travail of birth. And the highest point of my art is the power to prove by every test whether the offspring of a young man s thought is a false phantom or instinct with life and truth. Plato, Theaetetus 150c Socrates: The sense of wonder is the mark of the philosopher. Plato, Theaetetus 155d Socrates: Then who are the philosophers, Diotima, if those who seek after wisdom are neither the wise nor the ignorant? `That s clear enough even to a child, she answered; `they are those between these two, as Love is. You see, wisdom is one of the most beautiful things, and Love is a love for the beautiful, so Love must necessarily be a philosopher, and, being a philosopher, he must be between wise and ignorant. Plato, Symposium 202C 204C ARISTOTLE: WHY DO PEOPLE PHILOSOPHIZE? WHAT IS THE ROLE OF FRIENDSHIP?
For it is owing to their wonder that men both now begin and at first philosophize; they wondered originally at the obvious difficulties, then advanced little by little and stated difficulties about the greater matters, e.g. about the phenomena of the moon and those of the sun and of the stars, and about the genesis of the universe. Aristotle, Metaphysics, Bk. I, ch. 2 After what we have said, a discussion of friendship would naturally follow, since it is a virtue or implies virtue, and is besides most necessary with a view to living. For without friends no one would choose to live, though he had all other goods;. Aristotle, Ethics, Bk. VIII, ch. 1 REQUIRED BOOKS: Although there are online translations available of the texts we will read, the translations online are not always very good, especially those for Plato. Therefore, it is important that you purchase the following text, which overall has better translations than those found online. However, for material that is not included in the following text, I will provide either translations on electronic reserves through Blackboard Learn (for example, material from Plato s Theaetetus ), or links to online translations (for example, Aristotle s chapter from the Nichomachean Ethics on friendship). Readings in Ancient Greek Philosophy from Thales to Aristotle, 4 th edition, ed. By S. Marc Cohen, Patricia Curd, and C.D.C. Reeve, Hackett Publishing Company, ISBN-13: 978-1-60384-462-8 (Because there are some changes in the translations of the pre-socratics, I prefer that you purchase the 4 th edition of this book.) There will be a copy of this text on reserve at Hagerty Library. There will also be several articles on electronic reserves through Blackboard Learn, some links to online material, and some handouts made in class. DESCRIPTION OF COURSE: To Be Discussed the First Day of Class What is philosophy? Who is the philosopher? Why philosophize? What is the relation of philosophy to everyday life? On the one hand, how is it a way of life, rather than simply a form of argumentation or discourse? On the other hand, what are the roles of logos (account, argument, discourse) and eros (love, passion) and friendship in philosophy, especially given that, etymologically (that is, the origin of the word) philosophy means love (or literally, friend ) of wisdom? Is wisdom a matter of logos or is it also a matter of mythos (stories), or faith, etc? Is philosophy a matter of love or friendship with wisdom, or is it also a matter of the wisdom of love and of friendship? How does philosophy move from concerns with everyday life and what counts as the good life to concerns about change, the one and the many, and the universal and the particular? These are some of the questions we will encounter when we study ancient philosophy. For most of the ancient philosophers, philosophy was a practice and a way of life, and not only a collectoin of theories and speculations (about change, the universe, god(s), body and soul, memory, politics, etc.) Theories and speculations had to have practical implications for life, and the philosopher was expected to live that life, not just read about it. Thus, Plutarch tells us in the second century AD: Most people imagine philosophy consists in delivering discourses from the heights of a chair, and in giving classes based on texts. But what these people utterly miss is the uninterrupted philosophy which we see practiced every day in a way which is perfectly equal to itself.socrates did not set up grandstands for his audience and did not sit upon a professorial chair; he had no fixed timetable for talking or walking with his friends. Rather, he did philosophy sometimes by joking with them, or by drinking or going to war or to the market with them, and finally by going to prison and drinking poison. He was the first to show that at all times and in every place, in everything that happens to us, daily life gives us the opportunity to do philosophy. Centuries later, the philosopher Kant agrees: The ancient Greek philosophers, such as Epictetus, Zeno, and Socrates, remained more faithful to the Idea of the philosopher than their modern counterparts have done. `When will you finally begin to live virtuously? said Plato to an old man who told him he was attending classes on virtue. The point is not always to speculate, but also to ultimately to think about applying our knowledge. Today, however, he who lives in conformity with what he teaches is taken for a dreamer. Kant, Lectures on the Philosophical Encyclopedia
COURSE OBJECTIVES: 1) To learn how to read critically some excerpts from primary texts from several different ancient Greek philosophers in respect of the main issues and concerns mentioned in the description of the course (above), and to learn how these ancient philosophers frequently responded to each other, if not in person, in their works. 2) To learn how to understand these texts both in terms of the arguments presented and other elements, such as myths, stories, metaphors (often considered poetical elements ) that appear in some of the texts; and how to understand how the complete argument of some philosophers (eg., Plato) might occur within a dialogue among various participants (rather than in the mouth of one of the characters of that dialogue). 3) To learn how to evaluate these arguments and these texts. 4) To learn how to write philosophical essays in response to some of these issues and concerns, as delineated both in the description of the course (above) and in the other objectives of this course. Some of these essays will be self-reflective, that is, they should recognize, examine, and test your own most cherished assumptions about the issues at hand in order that you understand more fully the implications of your own positions as well as those of others. Others will emphasize argument for a position, or exegesis (explanation) of some aspect of a text. Philosophical arguments and positions are always controversial, but having an opinion, as important as that it is, is never enough in a philosophy class. You must be able to recognize and test the assumptions upon which your position rests and realize the implications or consequences of these assumptions. This constitutes the process of self-reflection at the core of philosophy. This also leads to the skills of understanding the arguments of others in more depth, and of building one s own arguments with greater thoughtfulness. In this class, we do not dismiss any position offered in good faith that is relevant to the discussion and theme at hand. Whether it is in our readings or offered in class by me or a student, we examine it for consistency, coherency, completeness and whether or not there are any viable alternatives. At the same time, these very criteria for a good argument will sometimes be examined as the question at hand. In understanding arguments, we first treat them with the principle of charity, that is, the principle that we should attempt to see the argument in its best possible light, rather than too quickly attacking a weak or distorted version of the argument. Those who attach a caricatured version of an argument are engaging in a straw man fallacy. Those who attach a person rather than critically engage in that person s argument are guilty of an ad hominem fallacy. COURSE REQUIREMENTS: CLASS PARTICIPATION (INCLUDING HOMEWORK AND ATTENDANCE): 20 points All students are expected to attend class, with the text, and having read the assigned readings to the best of their ability. Attendance will be taken. Students are permitted 3 absences (no documentation necessary), but, after 3 absences, will receive penalties for further absences (no documentation accepted). However, if there is an obstacle preventing you from attending class regularly or if an unforeseeable emergency occurs, please contact me during office hours. All students are encouraged to participate in class discussions. There will be an occasional short typed homework assignment (especially at the beginning of the course) in order to prepare for class discussion. These homework assignments are usually short one page essays worth 2 points each towards the participation points in the course. Ordinarily students will receive full credit for their homeworks if they follow the instructions for the assignment and show a good faith effort to answer the assigned question. However, late homework assignments will not be accepted because their purpose is to prepare students for class discussion. See the tentative schedule of reading assignments at the end of this syllabus for the homework assignments that are already planned for the first couple of weeks of class.
I reserve the right to give quizzes (usually announced a class in advance) if I find it necessary to insure that the class is doing the reading assignments. However, there are none planned so long as the class remains attentive and actively participates in class dicussions. Use of laptops is permitted in class if you are accessing assigned material for class. Those with laptops will sometimes be asked to look up material relevant to class discussion. However, students should not be surfing the internet, should not be doing email, chat, or texting, during class. I reserve the right to count anybody as absent and/or to ask them to shut their laptop or phone, if they are found engaged in such activities that are not related to class discussions. REFLECTION PAPERS: 80 POINTS TOTAL PAPER #1: 10 points: On the Pre-Socratics and Plato s Theaetetus : probably due Week 3 PAPER #2: 20 points: On Plato s Symposium : probably due Week 6 PAPER #3: 25 points: On Plato s Republic : probably due Week 8 PAPER #4: 25 points: On Aristotle: probably due Exam Week The nature and format of these papers will be e-mailed to the class approximately one week in advance of the due date. The expected length of the papers will probably be approximately 4 typed double-spaced pages, except for the first paper, which will be shorter. I will not accept any papers either rough drafts or final papers by e-mail or electronic submission. You may show me, and discuss with me, rough drafts during office hours. Late reflections paper will be penalized, unless I have granted an extension in advance for an acceptable reason. Requests for extensions on papers should be made 24 hours in advance of the due date whenever possible. This is not a promise that all requests will be granted, but they will be considered on the basis of their merits. In the case of an emergency, please contact me as soon as possible. MAKE-UPS: There are not make-ups for homework assignments, in-class activities, or quizzes, if we should have any. For my policy on late papers see above, under reflection papers. Please consult me during office hours if there have been any serious obstacles to your ability to complete the work on time. This is not a promise that all circumstances can be accommodated. Incompletes for the course will be considered for those who have already completed a substantial amount of work in the course, and have had serious obstacles that have interfered in completing the work for the course. However, this is not a promise that all requests for incompletes will be granted. I reserve the right to fail anyone in the class who has not completed a sufficient number of major assignments. Strictly speaking, all graded assignments are mandatory. OFFICE HOURS: You are encouraged to consult me during office hours for help on papers. I will not write your paper for you or guarantee you a grade, but we can discuss your ideas, your approach to a question, or any material discussed in class. I can look at rough drafts of papers during office hours. I will only answer very general questions through e-mail, and I will not look at any work through electronic submission. COURSE DROP POLICY: Please see the university policy at the following link: http://www.drexel.edu/provost/policies/course_drop.asp DISABILITY POLICY: Drexel University encourages qualified persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation in this course or have questions about physical access, please tell the instructor as soon as possible and bring appropriate documentation from the office of disability. See also the university policy at the following link: http://www.drexel.edu/ods/student_reg.html POLICY ON ACADEMIC INTEGRITY AND PLAGIARISM: In addition to my policy below, see the following links to university policies: http://www.drexel.edu/provost/policies/academic_dishonestly.asp http://www.drexel.edu/studentlife/judicial/honesty.html
Plagiarism, cheating and collaboration with others on projects that are expected to be your own independent work are taken seriously in this class. There is a lot of secondary material on ancient philosophy and the assigned texts in this course available online, as well as in print. Some links to helpful secondary material are provided later in this syllabus, and there will also be several handouts and articles on electronic reserves through Blackboard Learn. However, this does not mean that the interpretations provided in any of these links or reserve articles are the only ones possible or that they are definitive and authoritative. They are provided only as an aid in thinking about the assigned readings. Lastly, the focus of this course will be on primary texts by the philosophers themselves. Plagiarism has been defined as the act of appropriating the literary composition of another, or parts or passages of his writings, or the ideas or language of the same, and passing them off as the product of one s own mind. Black s Law Dictionary, 6 th edition Therefore, you must footnote, endnote or cite any material that you borrow from some source, whether it is the assigned primary texts or secondary material that comment on these texts, and even if you do not directly quote from the material. I repeat that you must cite any material (especially from secondary sources) that you do not directly quote, if you have borrowed some idea from that source because it is not your own idea and/or if you paraphrase that material. If you mix and match material or ideas from multiple sources, you must cite all those sources. Anyone found plagiarizing or cheating on an assignment will not receive any credit for that assignment and will not have the opportunity to rewrite the assignment. I may report the plagiarism or cheating through higher channels in the university. The same policy applies if two students hand in papers or assignments with identical paragraphs, which will be taken as evidence of each student using and not citing a third source or of collaboration with each other, as the case may be. This will apply whether you give or receive the help for the assignment. Although you encouraged to discuss your ideas with other students, you should be writing your own papers. GRADING POLICY: In grading, I am not primarily interested in your position; instead I want to know how you reached your conclusions, that is, the thought process that led you to your conclusions. This is not the same as an explanation of the source of your opinions, whether they were learned originally from your family, your religion or school. Rather, this involves making your assumptions and the connections you draw between your assumptions explicit, that is, you must spell them out. Although philosophical questions lend themselves to more than one possible answer in an uncertain world where nobody knows everything, there are still more thoughtful and less thoughtful, better reasoned and more poorly reasoned arguments to be made. GRADING SCALE FOR PAPERS GRADING SCALE FOR THE COURSE #3 and #4: 25 A+ 98 100 A+ 23.5 24.5 A 93 97.5 A 22.5 23 A - 90 92.5 A 22 B+ 87 89.5 B+ 21 21.5 B 83 86.5 B 20 20.5 B - 80 82.5 B 19 19.5 C+ 76 79.5 C+ 18 18.5 C 72 75.5 C 17.5 C - 70 71.5 C 17 D+ 67 69.5 D+ 15 16.5 D 60 66.5 D Below 15 F Below 60 F SOME ONLINE SECONDARY SOURCES (COMMENTARIES ON THE TEXTS ASSIGNED FOR THIS COURSE): NOT REQUIRED, ALTHOUGH I MIGHT DRAW ON SOME OF THESE FOR
BACKGROUND TO THE ASSIGNED TEXTS AND THEIR THEMES: SEE THE POLICY ON ACADEMIC INTEGRITY FOR MY APPROACH TO SECONDARY SOURCES IN THIS COURSE.) ON PLATO S BACKGROUND: http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agexed/aee501/plato.html (will be handed out in class) TIMELINES FOR ANCIENT GREEK PHILOSOPHY: There will be handouts in class, because I cannot get the links to work. ON PLATO S SYMPOSIUM (Some of these give good background on symposiums, the characters in the dialogue, and the dates in which the dialogue takes place and when it was written) http://www.auburn.edu/~goldsrj/2207f02/symposium.html Study Guide and Questions for Plato s Symposium http://condor.depaul.edu/dsimpson/tlove/symposium.html http://www.columbia.edu/~rjs19/symp-plan.htm http://caae.phil.cmu.edu/cavalier/80250/plato/symposium/sym1.html (I cannot get this link to work.) http://caae.phil.cmu.edu/cavalier/80250/plato/symposium/sym2.html ON PLATO S REPUBLIC (and the Platonic forms) (Some of these sources are in more depth than is expected in a 200 level course, but I include them because they authored by one of the editors of the assigned text.) http://www.litcharts.com/lit/therepublic/backgroundinfo Background information on The Republic http://classics.uc.edu/~johnson/tragedy/plato&aristotle.html (Plato and Aristotle on Tragedy: addresses Plato s Republic ) http://faculty.washington.edu/smcohen/320/rep476.htm (This is authored by one of the editors of your text.) Forms as Objects of Knowledge: Rep. 476 480 http://faculty.washington.edu/smcohen/320/1ovrmany.htm (This is authored by one of the editors of your text.) The One Over Many argument (Rep. 596a- b; 514ff (Allegory of the Cave); http://faculty.washington.edu/smcohen/320/cave.htm (This is authored by one of the editors of your text.) The Allegory of the Cave http://faculty.washington.edu/smcohen/320/tmalect.htm (This is authored by one of the editors of your text.) Criticism of Theory of Forms (drawn also from Plato s Parmenides ) ON ARISTOTLE: (Some of these are in more depth than is expected in a 200 level course, but I include them because they are authored by one of the editors of the assigned text.) http://faculty.washington.edu/smcohen/320/cats320.htm (This is authored by one of the editors of your text.) Predication and Ontology: The Categories http://faculty.washington.edu/smcohen/320/archange.htm (This is authored by one of the editors of your text.) Aristotle on Change http://faculty.washington.edu/smcohen/320/4causes.htm (This is authored by one of the editors of your text.) The Four Causes http://faculty.washington.edu/smcohen/320/psyche.htm (This is authored by one of the editors of your text.) Aristotle on the Soul
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF READING AND HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS The instructor reserves the right to change this schedule to meet the interests and needs of the students and if circumstances warrant. All changes will be announced in class, and any major changes will be e-mailed to the class. All students will be held responsible for knowing what these changes are, so be sure to check your e-mail, and, if you are absent from class, contact another student to find out if any changes were made. WEEKS 1 2: PRESOCRATICS AND SOPHISTS Monday, Sept. 24 th : Introduction to Ancient Philosophy and the Presocratics: Please read and print out this syllabus and bring it to class. We will be discussing some of the quotes at the beginning of this syllabus. There will also be some handouts. Wednesday, Sept. 26 th : READING ASSIGNMENT: in text: Heraclitus of Ephesus, pp. 29 40; a handout on The Logos of Heraclitus, by Eva Brann, which is also on electronic reserves through Blackboard Learn; We will be discussing problems with translation of the term Logos as it is used in Heraclitus fragments. Friday, Sept. 28 th : HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT: Type a couple of paragraphs in response to the following questions: If you owned a ship, and every year you replaced some of the old planks in the ship, so that after a certain number of years every plank in the ship had been replaced, would it be the same ship, and why or why not? How or how not? From your reading of Heraclitus on flux, what might Heraclitus think? Monday, Oct. 1 st : READING ASSIGNMENT: in text, Parmenides of Elia, pp. 40 47; Wednesday, Oct. 3 rd : READING ASSIGNMENT: electronic reserves article through Blackboard Learn, The Logos of Heraclitus, ch. IIIu (the end of the article assigned for Week 1 above); HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT: Type a couple of paragraphs in response to the following questions: Do you think there is such thing as absolute nothingness where nothing at all exists? If so, where or when would it be? Can we imagine such a complete void, and how or how not? If we talk about nothingness, as in the sentence, There is nothing there, have we made it into something that is? Friday, Oct. 5 th : READING ASSIGNMENT: in text, 14: The Sophists: 14.1 Protagoras, pp. 105 106 and 14.2 Gorgias, pp. 107 109; HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT: Type a couple of paragraphs in response to the following questions: Who or what do you think supplies standards of action and of knowledge for human beings? God? Each individual human for him or herself? The societies to which people belong? The facts of life or nature? Who or what do you think supplies the standards of action and of knowledge for pigs? God? Each pig individually? Groups of pigs or families of pigs? The facts of life or nature? WEEKS 3 5: EXCERPTS FROM PLATO S THEAETUS AND PLATO S SYMPOSIUM : PAPER #1 will probably be e-mailed to the class during week 3 and be due during week 4, exact date to be announced. Monday, Oct. 8 th : UNIVERSITY HOLIDAY; COLUMBUS DAY Wednesday, Oct. 10 th : READING ASSIGNMENT: On electronic reserves through Blackboard Learn: Plato s Theaetetus : THEME: What is a philosopher? How does Socrates interpret and respond to Heraclitus and Protagorus? Friday, Oct. 12 th : READING ASSIGNMENT: in text, Plato s Symposium, pp. 320 327 (The prologue and Phaedrus speech on love ); There will probably be handouts on the background of the dialogue and its characters. (See some of the above links in the list of secondary sources: not required). THEMES: Love, friendship and war in respect to philosophy and this dialogue;
Monday, Oct. 15 th : READING ASSIGNMENT: in text, Plato s Symposium, pp. 335 343 (Aristophanes speech on love and Agathon s speech on love: The poets both speak on love; Aristophanes writes comedies and Agathon writes tragedies.) THEME: Have we heard any arguments on love, and how or how not? Or have simply heard praises of love? Do the different depictions of love reflect the different people who are speaking? RECOMMENDED LINK: excerpt from Hedwig and the Angry Inch, an animation and song about Aristophanes myth, provided at the following links (and other links): http://www.metacafe.com/watch/3205759/hedwig_and_the_angry_inch_origin_of_love/ Wednesday, Oct. 17 th : READING ASSIGNMENT: in text, Plato s Symposium, pp. 344 352 (Socrates questions Agathon and then reports Diotima s speech, that is, part of it, for this class: What is eros? Who are its parents? How is it in-between? How does Diotima seem to respond to Aristophanes speech, and does this imply that it is really Socrates speaking?) Friday, Oct. 19 th : READING ASSIGNMENT: in text, Plato s Symposium, pp. 353 357 (Continuation of Diotima s speech about reproduction in beauty and the ladder of love); THEMES: An introduction to one version of Platonic Forms; What is the relation between beauty, virtue and love? Does Diotima focus on truth or wisdom? Why did she seem like a sophist to Socrates? Wisdom of love versus love of wisdom; Monday, October 22 nd : READING ASSIGNMENT: in text, Plato s Symposium, pp. 358 368; on electronic reserves through Blackboard Learn, excerpts from The Pelopponesian War by Thucydides, which gives us a somewhat different depiction of, and some background on Alcibaides. (Alcibaides crashes the party and makes a speech, ostensibly in praise of Socrates.) THEMES: Does Alcibiades speech and revelations about his relation (or lack thereof) with Socrates reinforce what Diotima says about love or does it implicitly criticize what Diotima says about love? How does Alcibiades characterize Socrates? Philosophy? Love? Wednesday, October 24 th : RECOMMENDED READING: I might put on electronic reserves either a paper I presented at conference or an article by a former colleague of mine in graduate school who has written on Plato s Symposium from her perspective as a Black woman. We will complete our discussion of Plato s Symposium Friday, October 26 th : WE WILL BEGIN PLATO S REPUBLIC (EXCERPTS): READING ASSIGNMENT: in text, pp. 369 370 & pp. 379 397 (excerpts from Book I): There might be handouts see the first link under secondary sources for Plato s Republic which provides background information on the dialogue and its characters (recommended, but not required). THEMES: Different models of the good: The sophist Thrasymachus vs. Socrates: Is justice to the advantage of the stronger? Is injustice stronger or better than justice? Technes (crafts) as a model of the good, and virtues as a model of the good. WEEKS 6 7: EXCERPTS FROM PLATO S REPUBLIC AND MORE ON THE THEORY OF THE FORMS; Paper #2 will probably be e-mailed to the class during week 6 and due during week 5, and be due during week 6, exact date to be announced. Monday, October 29 th : READING ASSIGNMENT: in text, pp. 398 403 & pp. 407 408: (excerpts from Book II) THEMES: Another model of the good, in Glaucon s categories: Where would Socrates place justice in Glaucon s categories of the good? Why does Socrates start to build cities in speech? Wednesday, October 31 st : READING ASSIGNMENT: in text, pp. 409 423, but we will be focusing on pp. 409 416, as to why the first city Socrates proposes is revised, how it is revised, and how philosophers are characterized here. (an additional Excerpt from Book II): THEMES: What is the first city in speech like and why does Socrates go on to revise it? There will a handout on the four cities in speech (the series of revisions to the first city), and I will lecture on those chapters we will not be reading about the building allegedly of a utopia, but given what else we read in the Republic later we will question if the building of an ideal city or utopia is really the purpose of this dialogue. Friday, Nov. 2 nd : READING ASSIGNMENT: in text, pp. 506-514 (excerpts from Book V)
THEMES: Different models of knowledge and the forms; how are these related or not related to models of the good? (The first part of Book V addresses three waves of objections to Socrates depiction of his cities in speech, as regards, women, sexual reproduction, and peace with other Greeks. I will probably include some discussion of this either in Wednesday s lecture, or prior to our discussion of the reading assignment for today, Friday.) Monday, Nov. 5 th : READING ASSIGNMENT: in text, pp. 533 541 (excerpts from Book VI): RECOMMENDED (NOT REQUIRED) READING ASSIGNMENT: in text, pp. 642 651 (excerpt from Plato s dialogue, Parmenides which displays a young Socrates conversing with an old Parmenides about the forms, and Parmenides finds many problems with Socrates conception of forms; this excerpt should also be of interest to those who want to pursue questions about the relation of the one and the many. We might spend an extra class on this, depending on the interests of this class, to be determined.) There will be a handout of the divided line, as discussed in Book VI of The Republic ; THEMES: the analogy to the sun, and the divided line. How are the Platonic forms depicted in the divided line? What is the problem of the third man? What are the various ways one can characterize the relation between what is below the divided line and what is above the divided line? (imitation or mimesis, participation, showing); How does this compare to Diotima s ladder of love? Wednesday, Nov. 7 th : READING ASSIGNMENT: in text, pp. 542-547 (excerpts from Book VII): STREAMING VIDEO ASSIGNMENT: A 35 minute version of the book, Flatland has been streamed through Blackboard Learn. You should watch this video and be ready to compare it to, and use it, to reflect upon, the allegory of the cave, (especially in light of the fact that Socrates continues in Book VII to discuss mathematics and astronomy, although this is not part of the required reading assignment.) Flatland is about a land and people of 2 dimensions, such as squares and triangles and circles. This is also interesting because it is a story of how a person of 2 dimensions attempts to understand 3 dimensions (such as cubes or spheres) in defiance of the authorities, which thereby, includes political commentary, as well as commentary on how we can know something that we cannot directly observe (epistemology). Friday, Nov. 9 th : READING ASSIGNMENT: in text, pp. 567 570; 585 593; (excerpts from Book VIII); pp. 594 599; pp. 609-615 (excerpts from Book IX): We will focus on the excerpts from Book IX, but the excerpts from Book VIII give good background as to how we ever reach the point of the tyrant in the sequence of the disintegration of actual cities. THEMES: The sequence of disintegration of the ideal city, (or in actual cities) and its relation to the character of the citizens of the series if cities. Why does a democracy become a tyranny? (end of Book XIII) What is the character of the democratic man and the tyrant? What is the relation between the tyrant and eros? (beginning of Book IX) Do we get a different picture of eros in The Republic than we get in The Symposium, and how or why? Does the setting make a difference an intimate and private party in The Symposium while a public and political setting in The Republic? What is the relation between the public and the private? What does Socrates finally say about the original question: Is injustice better than justice? And does he address this question ultimately in terms of the cities which have been the focus of the dialogue or in terms of the souls of individual people? (end of Book IX) WEEKS 8 11: AFTER WE COMPLETE THE REPUBLIC, WE WILL DEVOTE THE REST OF THE TERM TO ARISTOTLE; Paper #3 will probably be e-mailed to the class during week 7 and be due during Week 8, exact date to be announced. Paper #4 will probably be e-mailed to the class during Week 11, after Thanksgiving, and be due during Exam Week, exact date to be announced. Monday, Nov. 12 th : READING ASSIGNMENT: in text, pp. 616-629 (excerpts from Book X of The Republic ): THEMES: The quarrel between philosophy and poetry: what is it, according to Socrates? Do you think Plato entirely agrees with this, given how his dialogue has been written? Does Plato s dialogue make use of poetic elements? We get yet another depiction of the forms and mimesis (imitation or representation) here. How is it similar to, or different from, the other versions we have seen? Wednesday, Nov. 14 th : READING ASSIGNMENT: in text, Aristotle, Physics, Book I, chapter 1, pp. 732 733; Aristotle, Metaphysics, Book I, chapter 1, pp. 796 798; THEMES: What is it to know? Why philosophize?
Friday, Nov. 16 th : READING ASSIGNMENT: in text, Aristotle, Categories, chapter 4, p. 696; Aristotle, Metaphysics, Book VII, chapters 1 3 and first page of chapter 4; pp. 815 818; THEMES: What is being? What is substance and why is it the primary type of being? Why is being spoken of in many ways? How is this different from Plato s approach to being (for instance, in the divided line)? Monday, Nov. 19 th : READING ASSIGNMENT: in text, Aristotle, Physics, Book I, ch. 7, pp. 734 739: THEMES: Why is coming to be spoken of in many ways? In other words, what is change and how does it occur (or what accounts for change)? Wednesday, Nov. 21 st and Friday, Nov. 23 rd : THANKSGIVING BREAK Monday, Nov. 26 th : READING ASSIGNMENT: in text, Aristotle, Physics, Book II, ch. 1 & ch. 2, pp. 740 745: Aristotle, De Anima [that is, On the Soul ], Book II, ch. 1, pp. 851 852; THEMES: What is nature and natural? How does the mathematician differ from the student of nature? Aristotle refers to Platonic forms as Ideas how does he disagree with Plato (or Socrates)? How is Aristotle s conception of form different than that of Plato? Wednesday, Nov. 28 th : READING ASSIGNMENT: in text, Aristotle, Physics, Book II, ch. 3 6, pp. 745 753: THEMES: How is cause spoken of in many ways? Is there a role for luck and chance, and how do these differ from each other? How does Aristotle s approach to change and cause respond to the problems addressed by Heraclitus and Parmenides? Friday, Nov. 30 th : READING ASSIGNMENT: in text, Aristotle, Metaphysics, Book XII, ch. 6, ch. 7; pp. 838 842; THEMES: What is potentiality and actuality (which we have already seen in De Anima )? What are eternal substances and the unmoved mover? Why must there be such? Monday, Dec. 3 rd : READING ASSIGNMENT: online at MIT Classics: Aristotle s Book VIII in Nicomachean Ethics on friendship at the following link: http://classics.mit.edu/aristotle/nicomachaen.8.viii.html Wednesday, Dec. 5 th : READING ASSIGNMENT: online MIT Classics: Aristotle s Book IX in Nicomachean Ethics on friendship at the following link: http://classics.mit.edu/aristotle/nicomachaen.9.ix.html Friday, Dec. 7 th : READING ASSIGNMENT: in text, Aristotle, Politics, Book II (excerpts), pp. 933 937; THEMES: We will complete our discussion of Aristotle s conceptions of friendship and their relation to virtue and philosophy. Then we will see what role friendship plays in the city, and how this is, in part, a criticism of Socrates proposals in Plato s Republic and also of Aristophanes speech in Plato s Symposium. EXAM WEEK: Paper #4 will be due, exact date to be announced.