Ancient Philosophy (AP2100C)

Undergraduate, 18.0 points

Content

This unit is an introduction to Ancient philosophical thought. The Greco-Roman tradition is the foundation of all other Western philosophy and its history has profoundly influenced Christian thought and practice. Authors and schools of thought to be studied include Greek Tragedy, selected Pre-Socratics, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Stoics, and the Neo-Platonists. Students will be introduced to the historical period and its varied sources, and to topics such as nature, myth, tragedy, being, life and death, soul, freedom, immortality, the state, art, and God.

Unit code: AP2100C

Unit status: Approved (Minor revision)

Points: 18.0

Unit level: Undergraduate Level 2

Unit discipline: Philosophy

Proposing College: Catholic Theological College

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Learning outcomes

1.

Situate the topics studied within the wider framework of the Western intellectual tradition
2.

Explain the core theories of selected philosophical texts, and describe their implications

3.

Outline the presuppositions of selected philosophical texts' arguments in relation to common Greco-Roman philosophical assumptions
4.

Illustrate the significance of the topics studied for related areas in philosophical enquiry and outline their relevance to the philosophical tradition

Unit sequence

AP2210C: 36 points of philosophy at first level AP3210C: 36 points of philosophy at second level

Pedagogy

Lectures, seminars, tutorials. When taught online asynchronously, the tutorial/seminar component may be replaced by guided reading exercises.

Indicative Bibliography

Recommended reading:

  • Barnes, Jonathan, ed. The Complete Works of Aristotle: The Revised Oxford Translation. 2 vols. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1995.
  • Blackson, Thomas A. Ancient Greek Philosophy: from the Presocratics to the Hellenistic Philosophers. Malden: Wiley-Blackwell, 2011.
  • Graham, Daniel W., ed. and trans. The Texts of Early Greek Philosophy: The Complete Fragments and Selected Testimonies of the Major Presocratics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010.
  • Hamilton, Edith, and Huntington Cairns, eds. Plato: The Collected Dialogues of Plato including the Letters. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1961.
  • Irwin, Terence. Aristotle’s First Principles. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988.
  • ¬———. Classical Philosophy. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999.
  • Meyer, Susan. Ancient Ethics: A Critical Introduction. London: Routledge, 2008.
  • Prior, William J. Virtue and Knowledge: An Introduction to Greek Ethics. London: Routledge, 1991.
  • Sharples, R. W. Stoics, Epicureans and Sceptics: An Introduction to Hellenistic Philosophy. Oxford: Routledge, 1996.
  • Taylor, A. E. Plato the man and his work. New York: Dover, 2011.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)

Variant 1

Essay

Essay (2000 words)

 2000 50.0
Report

The report will comprise various parts answering questions provided during week 14 of the unit. It is an asynchronous, online substitute for a written two-hour examination.

 2000 50.0

Variant 2

Essay

1 x 2000-word essay

 2000 50.0
Written Examination

2-hour written examination

 2000 50.0

Variant 3

Essay

1 x 2000-word essay

 2000 50.0
Short Answer Tests

Three asynchronous tests given periodically throughout semester, equivalent to 2000 words total.

 2000 50.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by Prof Albert Haddad on 16 Aug, 2024

Unit record last updated: 2024-08-16 12:41:24 +1000