C History of Ancient Philosophy

Catalog description

Term hours: 54 lecture. This historical introduction to philosophy traces the development of Western philosophy with a focus on the early Greeks, emphasizing those ideas which have most influenced the development of Western culture. This course will explore the birth of European thought with the Pre-Socratics, such as the Milesian philosophers and Greek atomists, then move to Athens with Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, and continue with some philosophers from the Hellenistic and Medieval periods. This course surveys the development, transformation, and influence of Greek metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics within the context of their historical and cultural setting. Particular focus will be placed on the philosophical issues still facing us now, including the perennial search for values. (UC/CSU, AA GE, CalGETC, C-ID: PHIL 130)