5AANB002 Greek Philosophy II: Aristotle Syllabus Academic year 2016/17

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1 School of Arts & Humanities Department of Philosophy 5AANB002 Greek Philosophy II: Aristotle Syllabus Academic year 2016/17 Basic information Credits: 15 Module Tutor: Dr Joachim Aufderheide Office: Room 706, Philosophy Building 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 teaching arrangements, aims and objectives) This course is designed to introduce the students to Aristotle s wonderfully rich but intricate philosophical writings by focusing on some of the most prominent topics in Aristotle s philosophy. Students will learn how to read, how to criticise, and how to make sense of Aristotle and will thus be in a position to benefit from the wealth of Aristotle s thought. In the first four weeks we will study Aristotle s theoretical philosophy through his treatise On the Soul (touching on epistemology, psychology, and metaphysics). The last six weeks are devoted to key topics in Aristotle s practical philosophy, studied manly through the Nicomachean Ethics. While the module will build on the Greek Philosophy I module for students who have taken it, it does not presuppose that module and can be taken without prerequisite. Assessment methods and deadlines Formative assessment: 1 essay of 2000 words length Deadline 16:00 on 27 February 2017 Summative assessment: 2 essays, each of 2000 words length Deadline 12:00 (NOON) on 26 April 2017 Outline of lecture topics (plus readings) 1

2 Week One, The meaning of life primary (p): De Anima I.1-2 & II.1-4 secondary (s): J. Lear, Aristotle: the Desire to Understand, ; C. Shields, Aristotle, further (f): G. Matthews, De Anima2.2-4 and The Meaning of Life, in M. Nussbaum and A. O. Rorty, eds, Essays on Aristotle s De Anima, ; J. Ackrill, Aristotle s Definition of psychê (in J. Ackrill, Essays on Plato and Aristotle); Week Two, The soul in perception (p): De Anima II.5-12; (s) Lear, Aristotle: the Desire to Understand, ; C. Shields, Aristotle, (f): M. Burnyeat, 'Is an Aristotelian philosophy of mind still credible?'; R. Sorabji, Intentionality and physiological processes: Aristotle's theory of sense-perception, both in M. Nussbaum and A. O. Rorty, eds, Essays on Aristotle's De Anima.) Week Three The soul in thought (p): De Anima III.2-6 (s): Lear, Aristotle: the Desire to Understand, ; C. Shields, Aristotle, , V. Caston, Phantasia and thought, in Anagnostopoulos, ed, A Companion to Aristotle. (f): Kosman, A. Perceiving that we Perceive, The Philosophical Review, 84: ; L. A. Kosman, What does the Maker Mind Make? ; C. Kahn, Aristotle on Thinking, both in M. Nussbaum and A.O. Rorty, eds, Essays on Aristotle s De Anima. Week Four The soul in desire and action (p): De Anima III.6-13 (s): Lear, Aristotle: the Desire to Understand, ; D. Modrak, Sensation and desire (in Anagnostopoulos (ed.) A Companion to Aristotle). (f): D. Charles, Aristotle's desire in T. Holopainen, M. Tuominen and V. Hirvonen, eds, Mind and Modality : Studies in the History of Philosophy in Honour of Simo Knuuttila, 19-40; D. Charles, Desire in action: Aristotle's move, in M. Pakaluk and G. Pearson, Moral Psychology and Human Action in Aristotle, Week Five Ethics and the Human Good (p): Nicomachean Ethics I.1-12; (s): M. Pakaluk, Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics: An Introduction, 47-86; G. Lawrence, Human Good and Human Function, in R. Kraut, ed, The Blackwell Guide to Aristotle s Nicomachean Ethics. (f): S. Broadie, Ethics with Aristotle, Ch. 1; J. McDowell, The Role of eudaimonia in Aristotle s Ethics ; T. Nagel, Aristotle on eudaimonia ; J. Ackrill, Aristotle on eudaimonia, both all in A.O. Rorty, ed, Essays on Aristotle s Ethics. READING WEEK NB FIRST FORMATIVE ESSAY DUE 27 February 2017, 16:00 Page 2

3 Outline of lecture topics (plus readings) continued Week Six Virtues of Character (p): EN I.13; II; VI.13; (s): M. Pakaluk, Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics: An Introduction, ; R. Hursthouse, The Central Doctrine of the Mean, in R. Kraut, ed, The Blackwell Guide to Aristotle s Nicomachean Ethics; (f): S. Broadie, Ethics with Aristotle, Ch. 2; G. Richardson-Lear, Aristotle on Moral Virtue and the Fine, in R. Kraut (ed.), The Blackwell Guide to Aristotle s Nicomachean Ethics). Week Seven Practical Reason and Wisdom (p): EN III.2-4; VI, esp. 1-2; 8-9; 12; (s): R. Sorabji, Aristotle on the Role of Intellect in Virtue, in in A.O. Rorty, ed, Essays on Aristotle s Ethics; J. Moss, Was Aristotle a Humean? ; D. Russell, Phronesis and the Virtues (NE vi 12 13), both in R. Polansky, ed, Cambridge Companion to the Nicomachean Ethics. (f): S. Broadie, Ethics with Aristotle, Ch. 4; M. Woods, Intuition and Perception in Aristotle s Ethics, Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy (4); M. Pakaluk, Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics: An Introduction, Week Eight Pleasure (p): EN VII.11-14; EN X.1-5; (s): V. Harte The Nicomachean Ethics on pleasure, in R. Polansky, ed, Cambridge Companion to the Nicomachean Ethics; J. O. Urmson, Aristotle on Pleasure In J M E Moravcsik, ed, Aristotle: A Collection of Critical Essays. (f): G.E.L. Owen, Aristotelian Pleasures, in G.E.L. Owen/M. Nussbaum, Logic, Science, Dialectic; S. Broadie, Ethics with Aristotle, Ch. 6. Week Nine Perfect Happiness (p): EN X.6-8; (s): M. Pakaluk, Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics: An Introduction, ; G. Lawrence, Aristotle and the ideal life, The Philosophical Review 102 (1). (f): S. Broadie, Ethics with Aristotle, Ch. 7; R. Kraut, Aristotle on the Human Good, Ch.1 (although the whole book is relevant); J. Cooper, Contemplation and Happiness: a Reconsideration. in J. Cooper, Reason and Emotion. Week Ten Happiness in the City (p): EN X.9; Pol. I.1-2; II.1-2; VII.1-3; 13-17; VIII; (s): R. Kraut, Aristotle: Political Philosophy, (on the ideal city) and (on political animals ). (f): CCW Taylor, Politics (in J. Barnes Cambridge Companion to Aristotle; R. Kamtekar, The relationship between Aristotle ethical and political discourses ; in R. Polansky, ed, Cambridge Companion to the Nicomachean Ethics; P. Destree Education, leisure, and politics (in M. Deslauriers & P. Destree (eds.) Cambridge Companion to Aristotle s Politics. Page 3

4 Essay questions Task 1: Write one 2000w formative essay on one of the following topics. 1) Explain Aristotle s definition of the soul. 2) Why does Aristotle reject soul-body dualism? 3) Why does Aristotle reject his predecessors accounts of perception? 4) How does an animal move, according to De Anima III.9-13? 5) Explain Aristotle s conception of happiness. 6) Aristotle's ethical philosophy is often summed up as 'the philosophy of the golden mean'. Is this an apt characterisation? Explain and discuss. 7) Explain Aristotle's conception of practical reasoning. Is the Grand End Theory plausible? 8) Are the accounts of pleasure in EN VII and X compatible? 9) Is Aristotle s sketch of the ideal life in X.7-8 in line with the rest of the EN? 10) Is the Nicomachean Ethics a continuous discourse with the Politics or can both be understood independently of each other? Which assumptions do they share, if any? Task 2: Write two 2000w summative essays, choosing one topic from each section. NB You may choose to write formative and summative essays on a similar topic, provided that you avoid significant overlap. Section 1 1) Does Aristotle s definition of the soul contain a vicious circle? 2) How can we best describe Aristotle s theory of mind: dualist, functionalist, or sui generis? 3) In your view, what is the most plausible interpretation of Aristotle s account of perceiving? 4) In your view, what is the most plausible interpretation of Aristotle s account of thinking? 5) Do you think Aristotle s account of desire is too intellectual? Section 2 1) Can you make sense of the function argument so that it does not come out stupid? 2) Considering the formal criteria for happiness, do you take Aristotle to be an inclusivist? 3) Is Aristotle a virtue ethicist in the contemporary sense of the term? Answer with reference to EN II.6. 4) Is Aristotle entitled to make the mean central to his account of virtue, or should he speak the good and right instead? 5) Do you agree with Aristotle that one cannot have virtue of character without practical wisdom and vice versa? Explain your choice. 6) What is the role of intellect and desire respectively in acting virtuously? 7) Which view of pleasure do you find more plausible, that of EN VII or of EN X? 8) How does Aristotle in Book X argue that the best activities are the most pleasant ones? 9) For Aristotle the best life centres on theoretical contemplation. Does this mean that a morally bad person can be happy, given that she puts enough effort into thinking? Discuss. 10) Is a life of theoretical contemplation really better than the life of moral virtue? Discuss by reference to EN X ) Explain and assess Aristotle s claim that human beings are "political animals 12) Which good is prior, that of the citizen or that of the city? Page 4

5 Suggested additional readings Translations and commentaries: De Anima Shields, Christopher Aristotle, De Anima: Translation and Commentary. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Polansky, Ronald Aristotle's De Anima. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Nicomachean Ethics Broadie, Sarah and Christopher J Rowe Aristotle: Nicomachean ethics. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press [This book is worth having because it contains not only the best translation of the EN available, but also because of the very good commentary and fine introductory essays.] Irwin, Terence Nicomachean Ethics. 2nd ed. Indianapolis, Ind.: Hackett Pub. Co, 1999 [Accessible translation with very useful glossary.] Taylor, Christopher C W Nicomachean Ethics, Books II-IV: Translation and Commentary. Oxford: Clarendon Press. Reeve, C D C Aristotle on Practical Wisdom : Nicomachean Ethics VI. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press More generally on the ethics: Polansky, Ronald M. The Cambridge Companion to Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press, 2014 [This book contains an unsurpassed topical bibliography] Even more generally: J. Barnes, Cambridge Companion to Aristotle contains a very full (and commented) bibliography which should serve as an excellent starting point for further research on pretty much any topic in Aristotle. There are also two recent collections of papers that contain excellent overviews of complex topics: Anagnostopoulos, G. A Companion to Aristotle. Wiley-Blackwell, Shields, Christopher. The Oxford Handbook of Aristotle. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Page 5