Ancient Philosophy

Catalog description

This course is devoted to examining the origins of Western Philosophy. By reviewing the writings of seminal Greek and Roman thinkers in the ancient world, students will learn about the competing metaphysical, ethical and logical theories adopted by different philosophical movements. Additionally, the course will consider some of the vexing theoretical problems ancient thinkers worked to address and will reflect on the historical/political contexts in which this intellectual development grew and spread throughout the ancient world. Figures covered may include Heraclitus, Parmenides, Protagoras, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, Cicero, Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, Plotinus, and Sextus Empiricus.