CLAS 221 Greek Philosophy (Same as Philosophy 221) (Not offered 2008-2009; to be offered 2009-2010) (W)

PHIL 221 Greek Philosophy (Same as Classics 221) (Not offered 2008-2009; to be offered 2009-2010) (W)
Alfred North Whitehead famously remarked that "the European philosophical tradition...consists of a series of footnotes to Plato" (Process and Reality, 1929). To some extent, Whitehead was right. Contemporary discussions in philosophy owe a great debt not only to Plato, but to the Ancient Greek philosophers in general. Many of the central issues in Western philosophy have their origins in Ancient Greek philosophy -including issues about free will and determinism, the status of human knowledge, and the nature of reality. Studying the Ancient Greek philosophers thus allows us to better understand philosophy as an enterprise and to go deeper into the Western intellectual tradition. The Ancient Greek philosophers are also fascinating in their own right. Zeno tries to convince us that we cannot touch the wall that is five feet away from us. Anaxagoras proposes the existence of a material substance that "contains everything". Plato argues that we never really learn, but only remember. Aristotle tries to make sense of how we are both material and sentient beings. And the Stoics argue that, even if fated, our actions can be effective. In this course, we will investigate what the Greeks were doing when they claimed to practice "philosophia". We will start with the "Pre-Socratics" who were active in the Mediterranean world of 4th and 5th c. BCE. We will study some of Plato's dialogues, which feature Socrates as philosophical protagonist. We will grapple with Aristotle's views on reality and on the soul. And we will look at developments in Hellenistic philosophy (e.g. Stoicism, Skepticism, and Epicureanism). Our main focus will be on questions concerning reality, knowledge and the soul.
Format: lecture and discussion. Requirements: four short papers, attendance and active participation in class. No prerequisites. Enrollment limit: 19 (expected: 10-15).
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