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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "PH 210-1"
COURSE NAME: "Ancient Philosophy"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2017
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Brunella Antomarini
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: TTH 4:30-5:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The philosophers of ancient Greece and Rome debated fundamental questions with an imagination, subtlety, and daring that have captured the attention of thoughtful people in every epoch. For example, they considered the nature and origin of the universe, what changes and does not change, as well as what causes change, how perception and reasoning produce knowledge, the relation between the soul and the body, the meaning of justice and beauty, and the nature of the good life. Through a careful reading of selected texts – in the form of dialogues, poems, aphorisms, or treatises – the course will introduce you to the great questions and controversies of ancient philosophy.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

 

Classes will regard a general historical reconstruction of Ancient Greek and Roman Western philosophical traditions, with a special focus on Plato and Aristotle. Some of the most influential philosophers will be read in the English translation of their original texts. One or more films are envisaged, depending on time schedule. Lectures and presentations imply a strong motivation and an active participation in class.

 Course outcomes

By the end of the semester students will be able to master and use basic philosophical concepts.  They will also be capable of understating the roots and the origin of our Western traditions in such fields as ontology, epistemology, politics, logic, ethics, and of critically constructing their own perspective on these issues.

AUTHORS (online texts):

Pre-Socratics (a short history of their re-evaluation)

Gorgias and the Sophists

Socrates

Plato

Aristotle

Epicurus

Cynics, Sceptics, Stoics

Epictetus

Plotinus

 

 

Short texts and quotations by contemporary philosophers (Arendt, Friedlaender, Nietzsche, Nussbaum, Popper, Chomsky, Heisenberg, and others) will be used to show the continuity between ancient and modern thinking.

 

TEXTBOOK:

Thomas A. Blackson, Ancient Greek Philosophy: from the Presocratics to the Hellenistic Philosophers, 2011 (electronic format)

 

REFERENCE BOOKS ON RESERVE:

M.Nahm, Selections from Early Greek Philosophy

C.Shields, Classical philosophy

D. Roochnik, Retrieving the Ancients

J.L.Saunders, ed., Greek and Roman Philosophy after Aristotle

 

FILM

Oedipus Rex by Pier Paolo Pasolini

 

 

























 

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of the semester students will be able to master and use basic philosophical concepts.  They will also be capable of understating the roots and the origin of our Western traditions in such fields as ontology, epistemology, politics, logic, ethics, and of critically constructing their own perspective on these issues.

 

TEXTBOOK:
NONE
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
2 papers at home 35%
Mid-term exam 25%
final exam 40%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the cou
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Students should plan to regularly attend the class, since we will often broaden the topics contained in the texts to contemporary issues, and since this class is mainly intended to the rousing of students’ personal thoughts and ideas.

Please refer to the university catalog for the attendance and absence policy.

Academic honesty:

As stated in the university catalogue, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. 

ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE

Sept.

Introduction

The re-discovery of the Pre-Socratics

Ancient idealism: Parmenides; Pythagoras

Naturalism: Thales; Heraclitus; Atomism

Modern philosophers on Pre-Socratic thinking

Gorgias and the Sophists

Socrates; Plato

Reading Republic; Phaedo; Meno

Plato's participation theory: Parmenides and The Sophist

Plato’s physics: Timaeus

Oct.

Modern philosophers on Plato

Seminar

Review

MID- TERM EXAMINATION

Film: Oedipus Rex, Pasolini

Aristotle

Reading Aristotle’s Metaphysics

Aristotle’s logic

Aristotle's Physics

Nov.

Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics

Modern philosohers on Aristotle

Cynics, Sceptics

Stoics: Epictetus and Seneca

Seminar

Modern philosophers on Hellenistic philosophers

Plotinus

Modern philosophers on Plotinus

Dec.

Review

Review

FINAL