PHIL301 -- Ancient Philosophy -- Fall 2018
Click here for the syllabus.
Scroll to bottom for newest entry. Please check this page frequently for announcements, assignments, web links of interest, and so on.
To begin with, here are some sites you ought to get to know. Our
department web site includes this
list of student research tools.
I'll be mentioning this: the famous painting
"The Death of
Socrates" by Jacques-Louis David (1787). (Bonus: now
updated with
meme goodness)
This is really interesting: Prof. Stephen Hicks on the
pre-Socratics and the birth of philosophy.
Prof. Hicks on Socrates' argument that he
shouldn't escape from prison.
My
recent column on the common misreading of Plato as a utopian totalitarian.
The great Orson Welles narrates this video version of the Cave allegory.
Totally Optional Plato-Related Movie:
As we've seen in
book VIII-IX, Plato
argues that by being unjust, one harms oneself, and that to look after oneself
properly requires justice. According to the theory Plato develops, being
just and virtuous is one’s self-interest, and being unjust and vicious is
destructive of the self, not likely to promote one's happiness.
For a great fictional dramatization of this theme,
I highly recommend the 1998 film noir A Simple Plan. It's a
crime thriller, but I think it's also an outstanding illustration of Plato's
argument. As it happens, I have written on this,
and
should you be
interested, the essay appears in the book The Philosophy of Neo-Noir,
edited by Mark T. Conard (Univ. Press of Kentucky, 2007). There is a
pdf of the essay here, but see the movie first
- you can get it from Netflix, e.g. (Note-you may have to rotate the PDF,
it scanned sideways. Go to "view"; "rotate"; counterclockwise).
Assignment for First Paper:
Even though this will be submitted electronically, the paper should be formatted
as if for printing: 6-8 pages, double-spaced, in Times New Roman, 12-point, with
1-inch margins on all sides. Do not submit incorrectly formatted papers. Put
your name, date, and "PHIL301" on the top right of page 1, and number the
pages. Use MS WORD, meaning a .doc or a .docx file, and submit electronically, as an attachment sent from
your bridgew.edu email account. This is due in my inbox NLT 9:00 am Monday
October 29.
Topic: Central to understanding anything else in Plato is his theory of
Forms. What are the Forms? Consider at least two of Plato's arguments
discussing the forms: one from the central books of Republic, and one other, perhaps
(but not necessarily) the one in the Symposium.
Compare, critically analyze, and evaluate these arguments, and say first of all
what you take Plato to be saying, and second of all whether you find this
persuasive.
Readings for Tuesday: Gorgias and Protagoras selections: (Gorg) 453a-456a, 459a-461, 467c-468c, 473a-e, 503a-504; (Prot)332-334c, 356c-end.
Optional readings on Aristotle you may find illuminating, amusing, or both:
Here's a way to think about Aristotle's ethics via
Seinfeld.
Here's a way to think about Aristotle's ethics via
The Lord of the
Rings.
Assignment for Second Paper:
Paper should be 6-8 pages, double-spaced, formatted in Times New Roman,
12-point, with 1-inch margins on all sides. Your name, date, and "PHIL301"
top right. Do not submit incorrectly formatted papers. Be sure
that your thesis statement addresses the prompt clearly and specifically.
Use WORD (so, a file ending in .doc or .docx), and submit electronically as an attachment sent from your bridgew.edu email account. This is
due in my
inbox NLT 10:00am, Monday, Dec 17.
Topic - CHOOSE ONE:
1)
Explain Aristotle's criticism of Plato's understanding of the relationship
between universals and particulars. What does Aristotle suggest instead?
All things considered, which is more plausible and why?
OR
2) Explain the role of practical reason in Aristotle's account of human virtue,
friendship, and flourishing.
