Ancient Greek Philosophy

Philosophy 311-H
Fall, 2017
Dr. Gilmore
Office: BW 151
Office Phone: #4129
Office Hours: MW 3:00-4:00; TTh 1:13-3:00, and by appointment

Texts:
A Presocratics Reader: Selected Fragments
Plato, Five Dialogues
Plato, Republic
Plato, The Symposium
Aristotle, Introductory Readings
Aurelius, Meditations

Grades:
Grades will be based on four papers, a midterm exam, and a final. The four papers will
be 5-7 pages. Late papers will be deducted one grade increment per day late. Attending
the Carus Lecture is required for this course. The Carus Lecture is October 26 at 7:30pm.
A brief response paper will be due at the next class.

Course Description:
Whitehead famously said that the history of Western philosophy consisted of footnotes to
Plato. True enough, but Plato himself synthesized the thinking of people who came
before him, known today as the Presocratics. The history of philosophy can be studied as
a kind of conversation, with each new generation responding to, revising, and adding to
what has been thought and argued for before. After Plato we will read some Aristotle and
end with a Hellenistic text on stoicism.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities In accordance with the Americans with
Disabilities Act, Concordia College and your instructor are committed to making
reasonable accommodations to assist individuals with documented disabilities to reach
their academic potential. Such disabilities include, but are not limited to, learning or
psychological disabilities, or impairments to health, hearing, sight, or mobility. If you
believe you require accommodations for a disability that may impact your performance in
this course, you must schedule an appointment with Disability Services to determine
eligibility. Students are then responsible for giving instructors a letter from Disability
Services indicating the type of accommodation to be provided; please note that
accommodations will not be retroactive. The Disability Services office is in Academy
106, phone 218-299-3514; https://www.concordiacollege.edu/directories/offices-
services/counseling-center-and-disability- services/disability/.

Schedule (flexible):
September 1 Introduction to the course
4 Presocratics: The Milesians: 1-17
6 Pythagoras & Pythagoreans; Xenophanes 17-29; Heraclitus, 29-43
8 Parmenides, 43-53; Zeno, 73-79; Pluralists: Anaxagoras-Empedocles 53-73
11 Atomists and Diogenes 79-97; Sophists, 98-107
13 Plato, Euthyphro in Five Dialogues (Paper #1 Due)
15 Plato, Apology
18 Plato, Crito
20 NO CLASS--SYMPOSIUM
22 Plato, Meno
25 Plato, Phaedo
27 Republic, Bk. 1
29 Republic, Bk. 2
October 2 Republic, Bk. 3 & 4
4 Republic Bk. 5 & 6
6 Movie Paper #2 Due
9 Movie
11 Republic, Bk. 7
13 Republic, Bk. 8 & 9
16 Republic, Bk.10
18 Plato, Conversation About the Republic
20 Midterm Exam
Midterm Recess Oct. 21-24
25 Plato, Symposium, Complete
26 Carus Lecture
27 Aristotle: Introductory Readings, pp. 1-35
30 Aristotle, pp. 36-68
November 1 Aristotle, pp. 69-103
3 Aristotle, 104-128
6 Aristotle, 128-150
8 Aristotle, 150-187 Paper #3 Due
10 Aristotle, 188-196
13 Aristotle, 196-228
15 Movie: Oedipus Rex
17 Movie Conclusion and discussion
20 Aristotle, 228-257
22 No Class
November 23-26 Thanksgiving Recess
27 Aristotle, 257-288
29 Aristotle, 288-310
Decmber 1 Aristotle, 319-327 Paper #4 Due
4 Marcus Aurelius Meditations
5 Meditations
6 Movie: Gladiator (Scott, 2000)
8 Movie Conclusion and Discussion essay on the film
11 Conclusion of the class

Final Exam: Friday, Dec. 13, 8:30am-10:30am