PHL/CNE 370: History of Classical Greek Philosophy

Summer 2012        M T W R F 1:00–4:00 pm       Prof. Stephens       Dowling Hall Humanities Center (DHHC) 1

office hours: Mon. thru Fri. 4:05 - 4:30 pm and by appointment

office: DHHC 209       phone (with voicemail): 280-2632       stphns AT creighton DOT edu

Description

Through the close and careful examination of the original texts we will study the richness and complexities of ancient Greek philosophy during the “Classical” period (7th to 4th century BCE).  Beginning with the Presocratics, whose extant texts are sadly fragmentary, we will trace the development of recognizably philosophical, that is, rational, non-superstitious, scientific thinking about the world-order (kosmos), nature (physis), soul (psychē), and reason (logos) through the Sophists of the Greek Enlightenment period and Socrates, as he is portrayed in Plato’s dialogues.  The central figures of the course will be Plato and Aristotle.  We will read three of the earlier Platonic dialogues, students will elect one additional dialogue for us to study, and we will study all of the Republic, which is arguably the greatest, most influential philosophical masterpiece of Western civilization.  We will then investigate Aristotle’s ingenious and extensive system of thought.  Aristotelian ideas profoundly shaped Medieval philosophy, theology, logic, and the natural sciences for centuries.  Consequently, any decent understanding of our cultural heritage, the history of ideas, of science, of religion, and, of course, the history of Western philosophy, must necessarily begin with a study of the history of Classical Greek philosophy.  It is wise for philosophy majors to take this course before they attempt any serious study of philosophers who were born after Aristotle (e.g. Epicurus, the Stoics, Plotinus, Augustine, Anselm, Abelard, Aquinas, Ockham, Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, Kant, Hegel, Marx, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, J. S. Mill, Wittgenstein, Heidegger, Sartre, Foucault, Derrida, any other French or German philosopher, any other British philosopher, any American philosopher—you get the idea).

Required Texts

• Readings in Ancient Greek Philosophy from Thales to Aristotle, edited by Cohen, Curd & Reeve (Hackett, 4th ed. 2011) ISBN 978-1-60384-462-8
• William O. Stephens, How to Write Philosophy Papers ($4)
• Alexander Nehamas, "Plato's Pop Culture Problem, and Ours," The New York Times, Aug. 29, 2010

Course Requirements and Percentage of Final Grade

C    “Satisfactory work”

• Basic clarity and coherence of argument and expression of thought.
• Satisfaction of the assignment’s basic requirements.
• Fair or adequate understanding of the major views and theories in the relevant course readings and the arguments presented in support of those views and theories.
• Minimally clear and coherent evaluation of the views and arguments in the relevant course readings.
• Generally consistent class attendance with occasional participation in discussions.
• 73 to <78% average for a C+; 68 to <73% average for a C.

B    “Noteworthy level of performance”    Demonstrates all of the qualities of satisfactory work plus:

• Good, above average clarity and coherence of argument and expression of thought.
• Clear, detailed, and accurate understanding of the major views and theories in the relevant course readings and of the arguments presented in support of those views
  and theories.
• Good attempt to provide argumentative support for your evaluation of the views, theories, and arguments presented in the relevant course readings.
• Regular, consistent class attendance with regular, good participation in discussions.
• 83 to <88% average for a B+; 78 to <83% average for a B.

A    “Outstanding achievement and an unusual degree of intellectual initiative”  Demonstrates all of the qualities of noteworthy performance plus:

• Excellent, superior clarity and coherence of argument and expression of thought.
• Clear, rigorous, and cogent argumentative support for your evaluation of the views, theories, and arguments presented in the relevant course readings.
• Originality and creativity of interpretation, explanation, argumentation, or criticism. 
• Superior class attendance with consistent, excellent, and thoughtful participation in discussions.  
• 88% average or higher.

Participation and Attendance

Daily, punctual attendance is vital for this kind of intensive summer course.  Two (2) tardies count as one (1) absence.  Even one absence is a very bad idea.  Three (3) absences earn an AF for the course.  Two kinds of activities count as “participation.”  One happens inside of class.  The other occurs outside of class.  Participation inside of class is raising your hand to be called on and making comments about the reading or the discussion, or asking questions about the reading or my lecture, or responding to questions I raise or comments made by other students.  Participation outside of class participation includes (a) substantive posts on the BlueLine Discussion Forum for the course or (b) philosophical conversations with Prof. Stephens outside of the classroom.  A post is “substantive” if and only if it addresses, and seeks to understand better, an idea, theory, or argument in the course.  For example, asking a thoughtful, specific, and philosophically interesting question certainly counts as a substantive post.  A post is not “substantive” if it merely repeats what someone else has written, quotes a text without analyzing or evaluating it, or expresses confusion without striving to understand an idea, theory, or argument in the course.  Both quality and quantity of participation remarks are recorded.  Since we will be closely attending to the readings in our class discussions, it is important that everyday you bring to class your book.  All students are expected to model academic honesty and integrity in all their work for this course.

Paper Submission Policy

Papers should be submitted on time.  Since this is an intensive course, extensions are unlikely to be granted, but requests for extensions must be made at least two (2) class days  (i.e. weekdays) prior to the due date.  Papers submitted after the due date (or granted extension date) will be penalized  8 points per weekday late.

Academic Honesty Statement

Keep in Contact with the Professor throughout the Course

If you have any problem that hinders you from attending class, doing the assigned reading, studying for the exams, or writing your papers, please come see me or call me or send me e-mail or leave me a note in my mailbox or under my office door.  Whatever happens, it is your responsibility to keep in contact with Prof. Stephens.  Failure to do so usually has unhappy consequences.

Selected Websites

• Hemlock Available in the Faculty Lounge (amusing teaching evaluations of Socrates).
• Michael Lahanas’ “Who is who?” puzzle of Raphael’s The School of Athens painting.  [In the large picture, he misnumbered Aristotle and Plato.  Below he has them correct.]
• “The Origins of Mathemathical Physics,” Physics Today (June 2000) an article on how a recently discovered 10th century manuscript (the Archimedes Palimpsest) shows that the ancient Greek inventor Archimedes made more ingenious mathematical discoveries than were originally believed.
• A review of an interesting book on Anaximander.
• A review of a provocative book on Parmenides and Empedocles.
• A review of an ambitious book on the death of Socrates.
• A review of an important book on Plato’s myths.
• A review of a provocative book on Plato as teacher and the Republic.
• Bernard Suzanne’s interesting website on Plato and his dialogues.  Suzanne’s terrific MAPS of the ancient Greek world.
• Internet Sacred Text Archive of Plato's dialogues with links to Benjamin Jowett’s translations of each.
• A review of Matthew R. Christ, The Bad Citizen in Classical Athens (Cambridge University Press, 2006).
• A review of an interesting book on Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics.

Schedule of Assignments

The Presocratics and the Sophists

Socrates and Plato

Aristotle

* The instructor reserves the right, at his discretion and as needed, to change anything in this syllabus during this course.

last updated 16 April 2013
Copyright © 2013 William O. Stephens