1 Sept – What is philosophy? In-class exercise: what kind of wisdom is most worth having?
3 Sept – The happiness of the philosopher: Spinoza, excerpts from Treatise on the Emendation of the Intellect and Theological-Political Treatise (handout)
8 Sept – Nietzsche, Schopenhauer as Educator, pp. 127-130, 136-137, 161-166
10 Sept – On the Uses and Disadvantages of History for Life, Foreword and part 1
15 Sept – On the Uses… part 2
17 Sept – On the Uses… part 3
22 Sept – On the Uses… part 4, pp. 77-80; part 7, pp. 95-98. Hand out topics for first paper (due 1 Oct)
24 Sept – Plutarch, Life of Alcibiades
25 Sept – Alcibiades’ speech in Plato’s Symposium
29 Sept – Plato, Alcibiades I 103a-109c.
1 Oct – Alcibiades I 109c-116e. First paper due.
6 Oct – Alcibiades I 116e-127e
8 Oct – Alcibiades I 127e-end
13 Oct – Plutarch, Life of Nicias. In-class exercise: what is courage?
15 Oct – Plato, Laches 178a-184c
20 Oct – Laches 184d-189d. Hand out topics for second paper (due 29 Oct)
22 Oct – Laches 189d-194b
27 Oct – Laches 194b-196c.
29 Oct – Second paper due. Laches 196d-end. In-class exercise: what is beauty?
3 Nov –Plato, Hippias Major 281a-283b
5 Nov – Hippias Major 283b-286a.
10 Nov – Hippias Major 286c-291c. Hand out topics for third paper (due 19 Nov)
12 Nov – Hippias Major 291c-295a
17 Nov – Hippias Major 295a-297d
19 Nov – Hippias Major 297d-302c. Third paper due.
24 Nov – 302c-end. In-class exercise: what is law?
1 Dec – Plato, Minos 313a-317d
3 Dec – Minos 317d-end. Prep for final.