PHILOSOPHY
Ancient Greek Philosophy
SPRING QN224
Monday
Angelo Bottone
The aim of this course is to give a general introduction into the main thinkers and the basic principles of western philosophy. You will study a broad range of central philosophical themes concerning: nature, law, knowledge, happiness and death. The course will begin by examining the first Greek philosophers who were collectively known as the Presocratics. This will lead us on to Socrates, who was the first philosopher to make the shift from questions considering the cosmos to ethical questions. Then we will read extensively from Plato and Aristotle, the most influential philosophers in all of western culture. We will pay particular attention to their ideas on knowledge, metaphysics, politics and cosmology.
| BELFIELD | ||
| 8 Mondays |
Jan 28, Feb 4, 11, 18, 25, Mar 4, 11, 25 (no class March 18) |
7.30pm - 9.30pm |
| FEE: €155 | Print Open Learning Application Form 2012.13 or ring (01) 716-7123 for Laser/credit card payment | |
Tutor Details:
Angelo Bottone is an associate lecturer at the School of Arts of the Dublin Business School, where he teaches Introduction to Philosophy and Critical Thinking. He holds a PhD in philosophy at University College Dublin. He has published two books on John Henry Newman and several articles on Paul Ricoeur, Ludwig Wittgenstein and Philosophy of Religion. He also translated Newman’s The Idea of a University into Italian.
Provisional list of key topics to be covered:
What is philosophy?
We will investigate the main characteristics of the western philosophical tradition and its temporal divisions.
The Presocratics: philosophy of nature and cosmology.
How the first philosophers explained nature and the world around us.
Socrates and ethics.
The passage from cosmology to moral philosophy will be considered.
Plato’s theory of knowledge.
How we understand reality, according to Plato.
Plato’s Republic.
A classic text in western civilization and its most famous myths (the cave, Gyges).
Aristotle’s metaphysics.
We will discuss the main concepts that Aristotle uses to explain reality and what lies beyond it: the four causes of beings, potentiality and actuality, substances and attributes.
Aristotle’s politics.
How Aristotle conceives the origin of society and our place in it.
The classical theory of virtue.
What is to live a ‘happy’ life? The answers from ancient philosophy will be considered and discussed.
Who is the course for?
This course is for anyone who wants to learn more about the beginning of the western philosophical tradition. No previous knowledge is required.
Reading List:
The following is a selection of recommended texts for those interested in reading further around the course content. We advise that you do not buy books in advance of the course as your tutor will discuss the list and suggest the most relevant reading for particular interests.
Barnes, J. (2001) Early Greek Philosophy. London: Penguin Books.
Guthrie, W. K. C. (1967) The Greek philosophers from Thales to Aristotle. London: Routledge.
