6AANA042 Topics in Greek Philosophy Syllabus Academic year 2016/17

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1 School of Arts & Humanities Department of Philosophy 6AANA042 Topics in Greek Philosophy Syllabus Academic year 2016/17 Basic information Credits: 15 Module Tutor: Dr Joachim Aufderheide Office: Room 706 Consultation time: Wed 12-1; Thur 1-2 Semester: 2 Lecture time and venue*: tba *Please note that tutorial times and venues will be organised independently with your teaching tutor Module description (plus aims and objectives) Everybody knows that pleasure is important. But important in what way? Some think that pleasure is the only thing that is good; others think that pleasure is tempting us away from what is really good. To decide between hedonism (the thesis that pleasure is the good) and anti-hedonism (all pleasure is bad) or to find a middle way requires answering two questions, one about the value of pleasure and one about the moral psychology of pleasure. Starting with Plato s treatment of pleasure in the Republic, we explore how Plato seeks to answer the two questions by starting further back: what is pleasure? He thinks that the nature of pleasure determines our answers to the question about the value and the psychology of pleasure. In a later dialogue, the Philebus, Plato tackles the question of hedonism anew not embedded in a political discussion, but in a question about the goodness of individual lives. Is the picture Plato presents in the Philebus essentially the same as that of the Republic? Is Plato more anti-hedonist, or less so? Does the difference, if there is one, depend on a different view of the nature of pleasure? In the second part of the course we will study Aristotle s conception, or rather conceptions, of pleasure as found mainly in his ethical writings (Nicomachean and Eudemian Ethics). In both texts, Aristotle strongly opposes the theories of pleasure Plato floats in the Republic and particularly in the Philebus (which Aristotle presents as anti-hedonist). Does Aristotle come out as a hedonist? And what is Aristotle s view on the nature of pleasure? Assessment methods and deadlines Formative assessment: 1 essays, each of 2500 words length Summative assessment: 2 essays, each of words length Deadline 12:00 (NOON) on 26 April

2 Outline of lecture topics (plus suggested readings) Week 1: Background: the good life in Plato s Republic - the challenge to justice in Rep I-II - sketch of the argument of the Republic (as relevant for pleasure) - tripartite soul (Bk IV) - philosophers vs non-philosophers (end of Bk V through to end of Bk VII) - the psychology of the philosopher vs that of the tyrant (Bks VIII-IX) Primary reading (P):Plato, Republic 327a-368c, focus on 357ff. Secondary reading (S): Feldman, Pleasure and the Good Life : Concerning the Nature, Varieties and Plausibility of Hedonism, chs 1-2. Further reading (F): TBA Week 2: Plato Republic IX: second proof for maximum pleasure: 580d-583a - what are pleasures? - why are there kinds of pleasures? - Plato vs Mill P: Plato, Republic 580d-583a; Mill, Utilitarianism II.1-6 S: Taylor, Pleasure, Mind, and Soul : Selected Papers in Ancient Philosophy.; Annas, An Introduction to Plato's Republic, F: Erginel, "Pleasures in Republic IX," Week 3: Plato Republic IX: Olympian proof: 583b-588a - nature of pleasure (filling: process, state, activity) - value of pleasure (being and truth of pleasures) P: Plato, Republic 583b-588a S: Erginel, "Inconsistency and Ambiguity in Republic IX."; Warren, "Socrates and the Patients: Republic IX, 583c- 585a."; Warren, "Plato on the Pleasures and Pains of Knowing." F: Wolfsdorf, "Pleasure and Truth in Republic 9."; Erginel, "Plato on a Mistake About Pleasure." Week 4: Plato Philebus: restoration theory (nature of pleasure) - the possibility of hedonism - kinetic pleasures and representation P: Philebus 11a-14b, 20b-23b, 31b-55c S: Harte, "The Life of Protarchus' Choosing."; Evans, "Plato and the Meaning of Pain."; Frede, Plato's Philebus, Translated with Introduction and Notes, introduction. F: Frede, "Disintegration and Restoration: Pleasure and Pain in Plato s Philebus."; Cooper, "Plato and Aristotle on 'finality' and '(self-)sufficiency."; Evans, "Plato's Rejection of Thoughtless and Pleasureless Lives."; Feldman, Pleasure and the Good Life : Concerning the Nature, Varieties and Plausibility of Hedonism, ch 4. Week 5: Plato Philebus: pure pleasures and knowledge (value of pleasure) - pleasure as genesis - pleasure and content P: Philebus 53c-55c; 55c-67b S: Carpenter, "Pleasure As Genesis in Plato's Philebus."; Aufderheide, "An Inconsistency in the Philebus?" F: Evans, "Plato's Anti-Hedonism."; Harte, "Commentary on Evans: Plato's Anti-Hedonism."; Page 2

3 Week 6: Aristotle: EN VII against pleasure as process: pleasure as activity Primary reading (P): Nicomachean Ethics 1152b1-1153b35 Secondary reading (S): Frede, "Nicomachean Ethics VII.11-12: Pleasure."; Aufderheide, "Processes As Pleasures in EN Vii a New Approach." Further reading (F): Broadie, Ethics with Aristotle, Week 7: Aristotle: EN VII Aristotle s hedonism and the limits of pleasure P: Nicomachean Ethics 1153b1-1154b34 S: Rapp, "Pleasure and Eudaimonia."; Aubry, "Nicomachean Ethics VII.14: The Pain of the Living and Divine Pleasure." F: TBA Week 8: Aristotle: EN X endoxa: the value of pleasure - Eudoxus hedonism P: Nicomachean Ethics 1172a a12 S: Warren, "Aristotle on Speusippus on Eudoxus on Pleasure."; TBA F: Broadie, Ethics with Aristotle, Week 9: Aristotle: EN X the nature and value of pleasure reconsidered - pleasure and activity P: Nicomachean Ethics 1174a13-176a29 S: Bostock, "Pleasure and Activity in Aristotle's Ethics."; Shields, "Perfecting Pleasures: The Metaphysics of Pleasure in Nicomachean Ethics X.". F: Aufderheide, Aristotle against Delos: Pleasure in Nicomachean Ethics X. ; Gonzalez, "Aristotle on Pleasure and Perfection."; Broadie, Ethics with Aristotle, ; Heinaman, "Pleasure As An Activity in the Nicomachean Ethics." Week 10: Comparisons: Plato vs EN VII vs EN X the nature of pleasure - the value of pleasure - the place of pleasure in the good life P: --- S: Taylor, "Pleasure: Aristotle's Response to Plato."; Frede, "Pleasure and Pain in Aristotle's Ethics."; Harte, " The Nicomachen Ethics on Pleasure." F: Owen, "Aristotelian Pleasures."; Gosling, "More Aristotelian Pleasures." End of Term Page 3

4 Suggested essay questions Assessment Two essays, words each. You should choose your own topic and talk to me about it: you must have your titles agreed by 31 March. You can write about any aspect of the course, except on the competent judge argument (see below) and provided that a) there is only little overlap (if any) between formative essay and summative essays, b) there is only little overlap (if any) between the two summative essays, and c) at least half an essay is on Plato, and half and essay on Aristotle: you can either write one essay on each, or you can write one on your favourite philosopher, and one in which you compare Plato and Aristotle. Formative essay: write an essay on the competent judge argument found in the Republic. Bibliography This bibliography is not meant to be comprehensive: it is selective, with special attention to topics we cover in the course. Items marked with the asterisk are especially worth consulting. Monographs on pleasure in ancient philosophy *Gosling and Taylor, The Greeks on Pleasure. brilliant book, though at times difficult; covers all aspects of our course Warren, The Pleasures of Reason in Plato, Aristotle, and the Hellenistic Hedonists. insightfully covers an aspect of our course van Riel, Pleasure and the Good Life : Plato, Aristotle, and the Neoplatonists. has chapters on Plato and Aristotle, but is perhaps best for tracing the influence of Plato s and Aristotle s theories Wolfsdorf, Pleasure in Ancient Greek Philosophy. introductory book, covering all aspects of our course, but the Aristotle chapter is not recommended; to be enjoyed with caution Russell, Plato on Pleasure and the Good Life. interested in the relation between pleasure and the good life in Plato; interesting, but recommended with reservations only Rudebusch, Socrates, Pleasure, and Value. mostly on early dialogues (which we do not cover) On pleasure: helpful contemporary resources Aydede, "An Analysis of Pleasure Vis-à-vis Pain." Feldman, "On the Intrinsic Value of Pleasures." *Feldman, Pleasure and the Good Life : Concerning the Nature, Varieties and Plausibility of Hedonism. Goldstein, "Why People Prefer Pleasure to Pain." Goldstein, "Pleasure and Pain: Unconditional, Intrinsic Values." Katz, "Pleasure." Kenny, Action, Emotion, and Will. Ryle and Gallie, "Symposium: Pleasure." Taylor, "Pleasure." Williams and Bedford, "Symposium: Pleasure and Belief." Pleasure in Plato s Republic Erginel, "Plato on a Mistake About Pleasure." *Erginel, "Inconsistency and Ambiguity in Republic IX." Kraut, "The Defense of Justice in Plato s Republic." Taylor, "Plato and Aristotle on the Criterion of Real Pleasures." Page 4

5 Suggested additional readings Pleasure in Plato s Republic (continued) Commentaries on the Republic Adam, The Republic of Plato: Books VI-X. *Annas, An Introduction to Plato's Republic. Pappas, The Routledge Guidebook to Plato's Republic. Pleasure in Plato s Philebus Aufderheide, "An Inconsistency in the Philebus?" Carone, "Hedonism and the Pleasureless Life in Plato's Philebus." Carpenter, "Hedonistic Persons. The Good Man Argument in Plato's Philebus." *Carpenter, "Pleasure As Genesis in Plato's Philebus." Cooper, "Plato's Theory of Human Good in the Philebus." Cooper, Knowledge, Nature, and the Good: Essays on Ancient Philosophy. Dillon and Brisson, Plato's Philebus : Selected Papers From the Eighth Symposium Platonicum. Evans, "Plato and the Meaning of Pain." Evans, "Plato's Rejection of Thoughtless and Pleasureless Lives." *Evans, "Plato's Anti-Hedonism." Evans, "Plato on the Possibility of Hedonic Mistakes." Frede, "Rumpelstiltskin's Pleasures: True and False Pleasures in Plato's Philebus." *Frede, "Disintegration and Restoration: Pleasure and Pain in Plato s Philebus." Hampton, "Pleasure, Truth and Being in Plato's" Philebus": A Reply to Professor Frede." Harte, "The Philebus on Pleasure: The Good, the Bad and the False." *Harte, "Commentary on Evans: Plato's Anti-Hedonism." *Harte, "The Life of Protarchus' Choosing." Harte, "Desire, Memory, and the Authority of the Soul: Plato, Philebus 35 C D." Miller, "The Pleasures of the Comic and of Socratic Inquiry: Aporetic Reflections on Philebus 48A--50B." Warren, "Plato on the Pleasures and Pains of Knowing." Commentaries on the Philebus Delcomminette, Le Phile be De Platon : Introduction A L'agathologie Platonicienne. *Frede, Plato's Philebus, Translated with Introduction and Notes. Frede, Platon Philebos, Übersetzung und Kommentar. Gosling, Philebus Translated with Notes and Commentary. Hackforth, Plato's Examination of Pleasure ; A Translation of the Philebus. Pleasure in Aristotle s Nicomachean Ethics Annas, "Aristotle on Pleasure and Goodness." Aubry, "Nicomachean Ethics VII.14: The Pain of the Living and Divine Pleasure." Aufderheide, Aristotle against Delos: Pleasure in Nicomachean Ethics X. Aufderheide, "Processes As Pleasures in EN Vii a New Approach." Bostock, "Pleasure and Activity in Aristotle's Ethics." Coope, "Why Does Aristotle Think That Ethical Virtue Is Required for Practical Wisdom?" Gonzalez, "Aristotle on Pleasure and Perfection." Gosling, "More Aristotelian Pleasures." Hadreas, "The Functions of Pleasure in Nicomachean Ethics X 4-5." Page 5

6 Pleasure in Aristotle s Nicomachean Ethics (continued) Frede, "Pleasure and Pain in Aristotle's Ethics." Frede, "Nicomachean Ethics VII.11-12: Pleasure." *Owen, "Aristotelian Pleasures." Rapp, "Pleasure and Eudaimonia." Shields, "Perfecting Pleasures: The Metaphysics of Pleasure in Nicomachean Ethics X." Strohl, "Pleasure As Perfection: Nicomachean Ethics " *Taylor, "Pleasure: Aristotle's Response to Plato." Taylor, "Plato and Aristotle on the Criterion of Real Pleasures." Urmson, "Aristotle on Pleasure." Warren, "Aristotle on Speusippus on Eudoxus on Pleasure." Commentaries on the Nicomachean Ethics Bostock, Aristotle's Ethics. Broadie, Ethics with Aristotle. *Broadie and Rowe, Aristotle: Nicomachean ethics. Irwin, Nicomachean Ethics. Joachim, Aristotle. The Nicomachean Ethics: A Commentary. Pakaluk, Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics: An Introduction. Stewart, Notes on the Nicomachean Ethics of Aristotle. Full bibliographical details Adam, J. The Republic of Plato: Books VI-X. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, Annas, Julia. "Aristotle on Pleasure and Goodness." In Essays on Aristotle's Ethics. Edited by Amelie Oksenberg Rorty. Berkeley: University of California Press, An Introduction to Plato's Republic. Oxford: Clarendon Press ; New York : Oxford University Press, Aubry, Gwenaelle. "Nicomachean Ethics VII.14: The Pain of the Living and Divine Pleasure." In Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, Book VII : Symposium Aristotelicum. Edited by Carlo Natali. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Aufderheide, Joachim Aristotle against Delos: Pleasure in Nicomachean Ethics X. Phronesis 61, no. 3 (2016): "An Inconsistency in the Philebus?" British Journal for the History of Philosophy 21, no. 5 (2013): doi: / "Processes As Pleasures in EN Vii a New Approach." Ancient Philosophy 33, no. 1 (2013): doi:doi: /ancientphil Aydede, M. "An Analysis of Pleasure Vis-à-vis Pain." Philosophical and Phenomenological Research (2000): Bostock, David. Aristotle's Ethics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, "Pleasure and Activity in Aristotle's Ethics." Phronesis 33, no. 3 (1988): Broadie, Sarah. Ethics with Aristotle. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Broadie, Sarah, and Christopher J Rowe. Aristotle: Nicomachean ethics. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, Carone, Gabriela Roxana. "Hedonism and the Pleasureless Life in Plato's Philebus." Phronesis 45, no. 4 (2000): Carpenter, Amber Danielle. "Hedonistic Persons. The Good Man Argument in Plato's Philebus." The British Journal for the History of Philosophy 14, no. 1 (2006): "Pleasure As Genesis in Plato's Philebus." Ancient Philosophy 31, no. 1 (2011): Page 6

7 Coope, Ursula. "Why Does Aristotle Think That Ethical Virtue Is Required for Practical Wisdom?" Phronesis: A Journal for Ancient Philosophy 57, no. 2 (2012): doi: / x Cooper, J M. Knowledge, Nature, and the Good: Essays on Ancient Philosophy. Princeton: Princeton University Press, "Plato and Aristotle on 'finality' and '(self-)sufficiency." In Knowledge, Nature, and the Good: Essays on Ancient Philosophy. Princeton: Princeton University Press, "Plato's Theory of Human Good in the Philebus." In Reason and Emotion: Essays on Ancient Moral Psychology and Ethical Theory. Princeton: Princeton University Press, Delcomminette, Sylvain. Le Phile be De Platon : Introduction A L'agathologie Platonicienne. Leiden ; Boston: Brill, Dillon, John M, and Luc Brisson. Plato's Philebus : Selected Papers From the Eighth Symposium Platonicum. International Plato Studies. Sankt Augustin: Academia Verlag GmbH, Erginel, Mehmet M. "Pleasures in Republic IX." PhD thesis, Austin, Texas, "Inconsistency and Ambiguity in Republic IX." The Classical Quarterly (New Series) 61, no. 02 (2011): "Plato on a Mistake About Pleasure." The Southern journal of philosophy 44, no. 3 (2006): Evans, Matthew. "Plato and the Meaning of Pain." Apeiron 40, no. 1 (2007): "Plato on the Possibility of Hedonic Mistakes." Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy 35 (2008): "Plato's Anti-Hedonism." Proceedings of the Boston Area Colloquium in Ancient Philosophy 23 (2008): "Plato's Rejection of Thoughtless and Pleasureless Lives." Phronesis: A journal for Ancient Philosophy 52, no. 4 (2007): Feldman, Fred. "On the Intrinsic Value of Pleasures." Ethics 107, no. 3 (1997): Pleasure and the Good Life : Concerning the Nature, Varieties and Plausibility of Hedonism. Oxford New York: Clarendon Press, Frede, Dorothea. "Disintegration and Restoration: Pleasure and Pain in Plato s Philebus." In The Cambridge Companion to Plato. Edited by Richard Kraut. Companions to Philosophy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, "Nicomachean Ethics VII.11-12: Pleasure." In Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, Book VII: Symposium Aristotelicum. Edited by Carlo Natali. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Platon Philebos, Übersetzung und Kommentar. Goẗtingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Plato's Philebus, Translated with Introduction and Notes. Indianapolis: Hackett, "Pleasure and Pain in Aristotle's Ethics." In The Blackwell Guide to Aristotle's Nicomachean ethics. Edited by R Kraut. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, "Rumpelstiltskin's Pleasures: True and False Pleasures in Plato's Philebus." Phronesis 30, no. 2 (1985): Goldstein, I. "Pleasure and Pain: Unconditional, Intrinsic Values." Philosophy and Phenomenological Research (1989): "Why People Prefer Pleasure to Pain." Philosophy 55, no. 213 (1980): Gonzalez, F J. "Aristotle on Pleasure and Perfection." Phronesis: A Journal for Ancient Philosophy 36, no. 2 (1991): Gosling, J. "More Aristotelian Pleasures." Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society 74 (1973): Gosling, J C B. Philebus Translated with Notes and Commentary. Oxford: Clarendon Press, Gosling, J C B, and C C W Taylor. The Greeks on Pleasure. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Hackforth, Reginald. Plato's Examination of Pleasure ; A Translation of the Philebus. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, Hadreas, Peter. "The Functions of Pleasure in Nicomachean Ethics X 4-5." Ancient Philosophy 24, no. 1 (2004): Hampton, Cynthia M. "Pleasure, Truth and Being in Plato's" Philebus": A Reply to Professor Frede." Phronesis 32, no. 2 (1987): Harte, Verity. "Commentary on Evans: Plato's Anti-Hedonism." Proceedings of the Boston Area Colloquium in Ancient Philosophy 23 (2008): "Desire, Memory, and the Authority of the Soul: Plato, Philebus 35 CD." Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy 46 (2014): 33.. "The Life of Protarchus' Choosing." In From Refutation to Assent: Strategies of Argument in Greek and Roman Philosophy. Edited by Mi-Kyoung Lee and Mark Schiefsky. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Page 7

8 . "The Nicomachen Ethics on Pleasure." In The Cambridge Companion to Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics. Edited by Ronald M. Polansky. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press, "The Philebus on Pleasure: The Good, the Bad and the False." Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society 104, no. 1 (2004): Heinaman, R. "Pleasure As An Activity in the Nicomachean Ethics." In Moral Psychology and Human Action in Aristotle. Edited by Michael Pakaluk and Giles Pearson. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Irwin, Terence. Nicomachean Ethics. 2nd ed. Indianapolis, Ind.: Hackett Pub. Co, Joachim, H H. Aristotle. The Nicomachean Ethics: A Commentary. Edited by D A Rees. Oxford: Clarendon Press, Katz, Leonard D. "Pleasure." The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Edited by Edward N Zalta Kenny, Anthony John Patrick. Action, Emotion, and Will. London: Routledge, Kraut, Richard. "The Defense of Justice in Plato s Republic." In The Cambridge Companion to Plato. Edited by Richard Kraut. Companions to Philosophy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, Miller, Mitchell. "The Pleasures of the Comic and of Socratic Inquiry: Aporetic Reflections on Philebus 48A--50B." Arethusa 41, no. 2 (2008): Owen, G E L. "Aristotelian Pleasures." Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society 72 (1971): Pakaluk, M. Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics: An Introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, Pappas, Nickolas. The Routledge Guidebook to Plato's Republic. 2nd ed. London: Routledge, February 11, Rapp, Christof. "Pleasure and Eudaimonia." In Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, Book VII: Symposium Aristotelicum. Edited by Carlo Natali. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Rudebusch, George. Socrates, Pleasure, and Value. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Russell, Daniel C. Plato on Pleasure and the Good Life. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Ryle, Gilbert, and W B Gallie. "Symposium: Pleasure." Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, Supplementary Volumes 28 (1954): Shields, Christopher. "Perfecting Pleasures: The Metaphysics of Pleasure in Nicomachean Ethics X." In Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics: A Critical Guide. Edited by Jon Miller. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, Stewart, John Alexander. Notes on the Nicomachean Ethics of Aristotle. 2 vols. Oxford: Clarendon Press, Strohl, Matthew. "Pleasure As Perfection: Nicomachean Ethics " Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy 51 (2011): Taylor, C C W. "Pleasure." Analysis 23, no. supplement (1963): "Plato and Aristotle on the Criterion of Real Pleasures." In Pleasure, Mind, and Soul : Selected Papers in Ancient Philosophy. Oxford ; New York: Oxford University Press, Pleasure, Mind, and Soul : Selected Papers in Ancient Philosophy. Oxford ; New York: Oxford University Press, "Pleasure: Aristotle's Response to Plato." In Pleasure, Mind, and Soul : Selected Papers in Ancient Philosophy. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Urmson, J O. "Aristotle on Pleasure." In Aristotle: A Collection of Critical Essays. Edited by J M E Moravcsik. New York: Anchor Books, van Riel, Gerd. Pleasure and the Good Life : Plato, Aristotle, and the Neoplatonists. Leiden ; Boston: BRILL, Warren, J. "Aristotle on Speusippus on Eudoxus on Pleasure." Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy 36 (2009): "Socrates and the Patients: Republic IX, 583c-585a." Phronesis: A Journal for Ancient Philosophy 56, no. 2 (2011): "Plato on the Pleasures and Pains of Knowing." Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy 39 (2010): The Pleasures of Reason in Plato, Aristotle, and the Hellenistic Hedonists. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, Williams, Bemard AO, and Errol Bedford. "Symposium: Pleasure and Belief." Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, Supplementary Volumes 33 (1959): Wolfsdorf, David. "Pleasure and Truth in Republic 9." The Classical Quarterly (New Series) 63, no. 01 (2013): Pleasure in Ancient Greek Philosophy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, Page 8