PH140 Course Materials 2015/16

Course outline

Week 1: The Milesians (slides) / Heraclitus (slides)

Week 2: Heraclitus (slides) and Parmenides / Parmenides (slides)

Week 3: Meno (slides) / Meno (slides)

Week 4: Republic (slides) / Republic (slides)

Week 5: Republic (slides) / Republic (slides)

Week 6: reading week (no lectures or seminars)

Week 7: Republic (slides) / Physics (slides)

Week 8: Physics (slides) / Metaphysics (slides)

Week 9: Nicomachean Ethics (slides) / Nicomachean Ethics (slides)

Week 10: Nicomachean Ethics (slides) / Nicomachean Ethics (slides)

Reading:

Set texts:

Plato: Meno and Other Dialogues (Oxford)
Plato: Republic (Oxford)
Aristotle: Physics (Oxford)
Aristotle: Nicomachean Ethics (Oxford)

Recommended background reading:

Shields, Christopher. (2012) Ancient Philosophy: A Contemporary Introduction (Routledge). Click on link for online version.

Week 1: Introduction to the pre-Socratics

We will start by looking at the pre-Socratics. Our main focus is on Heraclitus, and we will be looking at how his thought emerges out of the cosmology developed by the Milesians.

Lecture 1: introduction to the Milesians (Thales, Anaximander and Anaximenes)

Core reading:

Fragments from Jonathan Barnes' chapters on Thales, Anaximander and Anaximenes in Early Greek Philosophy.

Further reading:

White, Stephen A. (2008). 'Milesian Measures: Time, Space and Matter' in The Oxford Handbook of Presocratic Philosophy, Patricia Curd and Daniel W. Graham (eds), (New York: Oxford University Press).

Algra, Keimpe. 'The beginnings of cosmology' in The Cambridge Companion to Early Greek Philosophy, A. A. Long (ed), Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999.

Long, A. A. 'The scope of early Greek philosophy' in The Cambridge Companion to Early Greek Philosophy, A. A. Long (ed), Cambridge:Cambridge University Press, 1999

Lecture 2: Heraclitus

Core reading:

Fragments from Jonathan Barnes' chapter on Heraclitus in Early Greek Philosophy.

de Laguna, Theodore. (1921). 'The Importance of Heraclitus' in The Philosophical Review. 30(3), pp.238-254.

Further reading:

Graham, Daniel W. (2008). 'Heraclitus: Flux, Order and Knowledge' in The Oxford Handbook of Presocratic Philosophy, Patricia Curd and Daniel W. Graham (eds), New York: Oxford University Press.

Hussey, Edward. (1999). 'Heraclitus' in The Cambridge Companion to Early Greek Philosophy, A. A. Long (ed), Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Kirk, G.S. (1951). 'Natural Change in Heraclitus'. Mind 60(237), pp.35-42.

Week 2: Heraclitus and the Eleatics (Parmenides and Melissus)

Continuing our look at the pre-Socratics, we will focus on how Heraclitus and Parmenides approach the problem of Being (Logos), and how this shapes their philosophy and method.

Lecture 3: Heraclitus and the Eleatics

Core and further reading:

As above. We will also be starting Parmenides and Melissus.

Lectures 3 and 4: Parmenides

Core reading:

Fragments from Jonathan Barnes' chapters on Parmenides and Melissus in Early Greek Philosophy.

Mackenzie, Mary Margaret. (1982) 'Parmenides' Dilemma'. Phronesis 27(1), pp.1-12.

Further reading:

Cornford, F.M. (1933). 'Parmenides' Two Ways'. The Classical Quarterly 27(2), pp.97-111.

McKirahan, Richard. (2008) 'Signs and Arguments in Parmenides B8' in The Oxford Handbook of Presocratic Philosophy, Patricia Curd and Daniel W. Graham (eds), New York: Oxford University Press.

Palmer, John. (2009) Parmenides and Presocratic Philosophy, Oxford University Press.

Sedley, David. (1999) 'Parmenides and Melissus' in The Cambridge Companion to Early Greek Philosophy, A. A. Long (ed), Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Week 3: Socrates; Plato's Meno (Socratic and Platonic epistemology)

In the first lecture, we will focus on the Socratic method in Plato's dialogue the Meno. In the second lecture, we will focus on the slave boy experiment. Both lectures explore Socratic epistemology and a key question we'll be asking is: what kind of knowledge is intended by the Socratic method?

Lecture 5: Socratic ignorance and the slave boy experiment

Core reading: the Meno, up to 80d.

Plato. 2005. Meno and Other Dialogues, Robin Waterfield (trans), Oxford: Oxford World's Classics.

Further reading:

Benson, Hugh H. (1990). 'Meno, the Slave Boy and the Elenchos'. Phronesis. 35:2, pp.128-158.

Devereux, Daniel T. (1978). 'Nature and Teaching in Plato's Meno'. Phronesis. 23:2, pp.118-126.

Fine, Gail. (1993). 'Inquiry in the Meno' in The Cambridge Companion to Plato, Richard Kraut (ed), (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press).

Franklin, Lee. (2001). 'The Structure of the Dialectic in the Meno'. Phronesis. 46:4, pp.413-439.

Franklin, Lee. (2009). 'Meno's Paradox, the Slave-Boy Interrogation, and the Unity of Platonic Recollection'. The Southern Journal of Philosophy. XLVII, pp.349-377.

Lecture 6: The slave boy experiment

Core reading: the Meno, 80d to the end (esp. 80d-86c).

Plato. 2005. Meno and Other Dialogues, Robin Waterfield (trans), Oxford: Oxford World's Classics.

Further reading:

As above.

Irwin, Terence. (1995). 'Socratic Method and Socratic Ethics: The Meno' in Plato's Ethics (Oxford University: Oxford).

Week 4: Plato's Republic (ethics)

We will begin reading Plato's Republic, paying attention to the start of the dialogue and the definition of justice (i.e. the challenge that Socrates must respond to in the rest of the dialogue).

Lecture 7: The problem of justice

Core reading:

Plato’s Republic (Books 1 and 2, esp. Book 2)

Further reading:

Hourani, George F. (1962) 'Thrasymachus' Definition of Justice in Plato's Republic'. Phronesis. 7:2, pp.110-120.

Nicholson, P.P. (1974) 'Unravelling Thrasymachus' Arguments in The Republic'. Phronesis. 19:3, pp.210-232.

Lecture 8: Platonic definition of justice

Core reading:

Plato’s Republic (Book 4, esp. 427d-445e).

Further reading:

Irwin, Terence. (1995). 'Republic IV: The Division of the Soul' in Plato's Ethics (Oxford University: Oxford).

Mohr, Richard D. (1991) 'The Eminence of Social Justice in Plato'. Illinois Classical Studies. 16:1/2, pp.193-1993.

Moravcsik, Julius. (2001) 'Inner Harmony and the Human Ideal in Republic IV and IX'. The Journal of Ethics. 5, pp.39-56.

Neu, Jerome. (1971) 'Plato's Analogy of State and Individual: the Republic and the Organic Theory of the State'. Philosophy, 46:177, pp.238-254.

Smith, Nicholas D. (1999) 'Plato's Analogy of Soul and State'. The Journal of Ethics. 3, pp.31-49.

Week 5: Plato's Republic (epistemology and metaphysics)

We will continue looking at Plato's Republic. Lecture 10 will also examine Plato's and Aristotle's critique of the Forms.

Lecture 9: Knowledge and the Forms

Core reading:

Plato’s Republic (Book 5, esp. 475e-480)

Further reading:

Irwin, Terence. (1995). 'Republic V-VII' in Plato's Ethics (Oxford University: Oxford).

Irwin, Terence. (1995). 'The Theory of Forms' in Plato's Ethics (Oxford University: Oxford).

Lecture 10: The Forms and the Third Man Argument

Core reading:

Plato’s Republic (Books 6-7, esp. 502d-521b)

Further reading:

As above

Week 6: Reading week

No lectures or seminars.

Week 7: Plato's Republic (ethics); Aristotle's Physics

Finishing our reading of Plato's Republic, we will consider Socrates' final argument concerning justice and whether or not the just man is the happiest man. We will also start Aristotle's Physics.

Lecture 11: The Forms and the Good

Core reading:

Plato’s Republic (Book 9, esp. 576c-588b)

Further reading:

Brown, Eric. 2004. 'Minding the Gap in Plato's Republic'. Philosophical Studies. 117, pp.275-302.

Irwin, Terence. (1995). 'Republic VIII–IX on Justice' in Plato's Ethics (Oxford University: Oxford).

Kraut, Richard. 'Defence of Justice in Plato's Republic' in The Cambridge Companion to Plato, Richard Kraut (ed), Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Lecture 12: The four causes (Aristotle)*

Core reading:

Aristotle’s Physics (Books 1 and 2, esp. 2.3, 2.7)

Further reading:

Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy: Aristotle

Gill, Mary Louise. (1980). 'Aristotle's Theory of Causal Action in Physics III 31'. Phronesis. 25:1, pp.129-147.

Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy: Aristotle on Causality

* This lecture will include a discussion about the essay questions and writing on ancient philosophy.

Week 8: Aristotle's Physics and Metaphysics

Continuing our study of Aristotle's Physics and looking at his Metaphysics (note: there will not be an exam question on the Metaphysics, but we need to study it to understand his Physics).

Lecture 13: The four causes

Core reading:

Aristotle’s Physics (Books 1; Book 2, esp. 2.8; Book 3, esp. 3.1-3.3)

Further reading:

As above (lecture 12)

Lecture 14: Aristotle's metaphysics (book 7)

Core reading:

Try book 7 of Plato's Metaphysics, if you're feeling brave. But no core reading required for this lecture.

Week 9: Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics

Starting the Nicomachean Ethics.

Lecture 15: Human function and eudaimonia

Core reading:

Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics (Book 1, esp. 1.4-1.7)

Further reading:

Korsgaard, Christine. (2008). 'Aristotle's Function Argument' in The Constitution of Agency (Oxford: Oxford University Press), pp.129-150.

Megone, Christopher. (1998). 'Aristotle's Function Argument and the Concept of Mental Illness'. Philosophy, Psychiatry, & Psychology. 5.3, pp.187-201.

Lecture 16: The psyche and virtues of disposition

Core reading:

Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics (Book 1, esp. 1.13; Book 2)

Further reading:

Losin, Peter. (1987). 'Aristotle's Doctrine of the Mean'. History of Philosophy Quarterly, 4:3, pp.329-341.

Young, Charles M. (1996). 'The Doctrine of the Mean'. Topoi. 15:1, pp.89-99.

Week 10: Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics

Finishing Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics and considering how Aristotle's ethics compares with Plato's ethics.

Lecture 17: Practical syllogism; ethical and intellectual virtues

Core reading:

Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics (Book 3, esp. 3.1-3.5; Book 6, esp. 6.1-6.2, 6.5, 6.12-6.13)

Further reading:

Coope, Ursula. (2012). 'Why does Aristotle think that Ethical Virtue is Required for Practical Wisdom?' Phronesis. 57, pp.142-163.

Lecture 18: Phronesis and theoria

Core reading:

Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics (Book 7, esp. 7.11-7.14; Book 10, esp. 10.7)

Course handbook 2016

Republic - book references

Guide to referencing in the Harvard style

Essay questions

Revision lecture slides

Part One

Part Two