NEW YORK CITY COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK DIVISION OF LIBERAL ARTS & GENERAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

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1 NEW YORK CITY COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK DIVISION OF LIBERAL ARTS & GENERAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SCIENCES PHIL 2104/PH104: ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY (formerly HU302) COURSE DESCRIPTION: The history of philosophy from ancient to medieval times: Presocratics to St. Thomas Aquinas. Prerequisite: CUNY Certification in reading and writing. 3 cl. hr, 3 cr. Grading: 25% Exam 1 25% Exam 2 or paper 50% Final Suggested Text: Kaufman, Walter.(late) and Forrest E Baird, Philosophic Classics. 4 Vols. Vol. I and II NJ: Prentice Hall Vol. I: Ancient Philosophy; Vol. II: Medieval Philosophy (Vol. III: Modern Philosophy and Vol.IV: Contemporary Philosophy: Texts for PH105 Movements in Modern Philosophy) Alternate Texts: Hakim, Albert B. Historical Introduction to Philosophy. 4 th edition, NY: MacMillan Pub. Co., (Part I. The Ancient Period. Part II The Medieval Period.) Jones, W. T. A History of Western Philosophy (2nd Ed.) Vol. I and II (Harcourt Brace, NY, 1969) Vol. I. Classical (Ancient) II. Medieval (Vols. III. IV, V: Texts for PH105 Movements in Modern Philosophy. Vol. V, 3 rd Ed All other Volumes Melchert, Norman P. The Great Conversation: A Historical Introduction to Philosophy. 3rd edition. Mountain View, Cal.: Mayfield Pub.Co.1999 (Chapters 1-14) Prepared by: Dr. Daphne McKinney November 1989 Revised by: Dr. Daphne McKinney February 1994,January

2 Revised by: Dr. Walter Brand, Feb Revised by Dr. Hugh McDonald, March 2004, November 2006 Revised by Dr. W. Brand, April WEEK OUTLINE THE HERITAGE OF ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY WEEK 1: WEEK 2: WEEK 3: WEEK 4: WEEK 5: WEEK 6: Pre-Socratic Philosophy The beginning of philosophy - extant writings and references by later thinkers God and Nature in Homer and in Hesiod Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes, Heracleitus and Xenophanes Euclid - Axiomatic Geometry Parmenides, The Pluralists, Empedocles, Anaxogaras Pythagoras and the Pythagoreans The Historical Perspective - political, social and cultural Sparta, Athens, The Peloponnesian War, The Old Oligarchy Aristophanes, Euripides, and the Sophists Atomism - Democritus and Lucretius - the motion of atoms, the sensory world, psychology and ethics- evaluation of atomism Lives and times of Socrates and Plato Plato Socratic thought and early dialogues of Plato Plato - theory of knowledge, the Forms, Criticism of The Theory of Forms Plato - metaphysics, ethics, political theory, theory of art and religion Aristotle Life, Aristotle s Aim Metaphysics, Nature Science, Logic - the natural of reality, natural science, biology, psychology, logic Aristotle - Ethics, Politics, Art - Animal drives and practical reason - ethics, political theory, theory of Art Evaluation of Aristotle s philosophy The Late Classical Period Political and cultural changes Epicureanism, Stoicism Cicero, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius Stoicism as an operative ideal in Roman life 2

3 Scepticism Survey of classical thought - weeks 1-6 WEEK 7: Review for Midterm Exam Midterm Exam WEEK 8: WEEK 9: WEEK 10: WEEK 11: The New Religious Orientation The Mystery Cults, Neoplationism, Plotinus The Coming of Christianity Jesus: The Jewish Heritage, The Jesus Movement Christianity: The Formative Years The Mysticism of Paul, John and the Logos Mystery The Effects of Institutionalism Heresy and Orthodoxy - the Gnostic, Arian, Pelegian and Manichean heresies - relation of faith to reason Augustine: His Life and Times The Inner Struggle - Confessions Augustine s Concept of God, properties of God-Reality Providence, Evil and Free Will The Basic Conflict in Augustine s account of God The Two Cities: Heaven and Hell, The Earthly Pilgrimage, Man Augustine s Ethics, the Drama of Salvation Nature and Natural Science, History Evaluation of Augustine s thought The Medieval Interval The Dark Ages, The Church, Feudalism, Chivalry Art and Letters, Science, The Universities Philosophy during the medieval period John Scotus Erigena The Controversy over Universals Abelard The Faith-Reason Controversy St. Thomas Aquinas Life Metaphysics: the central problem, basic concepts, Proofs of God s Existence, God s Nature The physical world, angels 3

4 Psychology, Ethics, Politics Grace, Predestination and the Moral Life Evaluation of Thomas s thought WEEK 12: The End of the Middle Ages Orthodoxy - problems Roger Bacon, Dun Scotus, William of Occam, The Averroists Will vs. Intellect in Ethics WEEK 13: Survey of medieval thought: week 7-12 WEEK 14: Review for Final Exam Final Exam. 14 WEEK BEHAVIORAL OBJECTIVES THE HERITAGE OF ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY At the end of the week indicated, the student should be able: WEEK 1: 1) To distinguish between early philosophical and mythical thought; 2) To clearly state the major concern of the pre-socratics; 3) To identify the philosophical and mythical features of their thought; 4) To show the influence of each on later thinking, in particular: a) How the problems or inconsistencies in the views of each generated the differences in subsequent pre-socratic thought. b) The development of logical consistency as the hallmark of knowledge. WEEK 2: 1) To clearly state the differences between the Spartan and Athenian way of life, the effects of the Peloponnesian War on the Athenian, and the political, social and cultural climate during Socrates s and Plato s lives; 2) To explain how and why Democritus attempted to reformulate the pluralism of Empedocles and Anaxagoras; 3) To show the main similarity and difference between the views of Democritus and the Sophists. WEEK 3: 1) To identify then key Socratic concepts and show how they are illustrated in Plato s early dialogues; 2) To explain Plato s rationalism, and to identify its pre-socratic features; 3) To state the problems with Plato s theory of knowledge. 4

5 WEEK 4: 1) To explain Plato s metaphysical theory in terms of his response to the pre-socratic naturalists and his theory of knowledge; 2) To show the interrelationship between Plato s psychological, ethical and political theories, the effect of his theory of knowledge on this interrelationship and his views on art and religion. 3) To explain the key differences between Aristotle s and Plato s thought in terms of Aristotle s revision of Plato s forms, his emphasis on biology as the leading model science, and his practical and empirical approach; 4) To state the limitations of Aristotle s logic. WEEK 5: 1) To show how Aristotle s ethics are related to his general metaphysical position; 2) To explain Aristotle s distinction between cognitive and practical reason, his consequent distinction between intellectual and moral virtues, and the key concepts of his ethical theory: happiness, doctrine of the mean,etc.; 3) To relate Aristotle s political theory to his ethical theory in terms of his emphasis on purpose (form, end good); 4) To explain the major features of Aristotle s political theory, and the differences between Plato s and Aristotle s political thought. 5) To compare and contrast Aristotle s and Plato s aesthetics. WEEK 6: 1) To explain the philosophy of the late classical period in terms of a) the rise of the Roman Empire: b) the legacy of Greek thought in the Roman world, in particular Epicureanism (Lucretius), Stoicism (Cicero, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius) and Scepticism (Sextus Empiricus and Carneades). WEEK 7: 1) To trace the history of philosophy from the pre-socratics to Aristotle, showing the influences of each philosopher on subsequent thought. WEEK 8: 1) To explain the changes in thought in the period from Marcus Aurelius to 5th century AD in terms of (a) the history of the period, (b) the effects of Christianity, and (c) neoplationism; 2) To show the effect of the four heresies on the gradual emergence of orthodoxy and on the relation of faith to reason in Christianity; 3) To contrast Greek and Christian views. WEEK 9: 1) To explain the key concepts of Augustine s Christian philosophy; 2) To explain the neoplatonic features of, and the effect of heretical thinking on 5

6 Augustine s thought; 3) To evaluate Augustine s attempt to reduce his various beliefs to systematic order. WEEK 10: 1) To explain how Christianity survived after the collapse of the Roman empire, and why it played an increasing political role; 2) To account for the ideas, institutions and attitudes that emerged during the eight century interval between Augustine and Thomas; 3) To explain the problems that arose between John Scotus Erigena s neoplatonic and the orthodox Christian views, and his attempt to reconcile the two. 4) To explain the controversy over universals and the resulting schools of thought: medieval realism, nominalism and the compromise between the two: the conceptualism of Ablelard. 5) To explain the faith-reason controversy and the compromise it generated, e.g. Anselm s proof for the existence of God. WEEK 11: 1) To explain the basic concepts of Thomas s metaphysics, psychology, ethics, and politics; and his method of argument; 2) To show the influence of Aristotle on Thomas s thought. WEEK 12: 1) To explain Bacon s view of nature and utility of the sciences, his experimental science, and his conception of philosophy. 2) To explain how Dun Scotus s thought differs from Thomas s. WEEK 13: 1) To show how William of Occam in his theory of knowledge developed those tendencies in Scotism that were deviations from Thomism. 2) To trace the history of philosophy from Augustine to William Occam. 3) To explain the controversy over will and intellect. WEEK 14: 1) To trace the history of philosophy from classical to medieval times: to be able to identify the major thinkers of this period, to explain their different philosophical viewpoints, and to show how the thought of each was influenced by his predecessor(s) and the ideas, institutions and attitudes of his time. GENERAL EDUCATION General Education at New York City College of Technology, The City University of New York, provides 6

7 students with a well rounded knowledge base, an appreciation of diverse cultural and intellectual traditions, an interest in relating the past to the contemporary world, and the skills necessary to reflect upon and shape society. A general education provides the opportunity to explore knowledge from various disciplines and perspectives, and to develop students abilities to read, write and think critically, and to assess information from a variety of sources. Further, and perhaps most importantly, general education develops students intellectual and creative curiosity and commitment to lifelong learning. GENERAL EDUCATION LEARNING OUTCOMES Communication Read and listen analytically, comprehending the meaning of texts, including identifying an argument s major assumptions and evaluating its supporting evidence. Write clearly and coherently in varied academic formats using standard English to critique others texts and to improve upon one s own texts. Present a formal or an informal spoken presentation, speaking to persuade or to describe. Listening to detail by way of analyzing the meanings of texts. Critical Thinking Learning the language of logic, formally and informally, for reasoned argumentation. Critical thinking involves the interpretation and criticism of texts, often primary sources. Philosophical positions are evaluated from a variety of sources. Information is integrated into one s own system of beliefs. The basic concepts of logic are identified and studied, i.e., truth and falsehood, the statement, the argument, premises and conclusion, deductive logic, validity, soundness, inductive logic, strength and cogency, identifying fallacies, translating natural language into symbolic form, testing for consistency and entailment, studying and applying the scientific method. Information, Research and Computer skills Information literacy begins with knowing when information is needed. How is the information acquired and then evaluated for its quality? Information literacy allows us to synthesize information from multiple, perhaps, conflicting sources. The importance of using information ethically and legally is stressed throughout. Scientific and Mathematical Literacy Understanding logical argumentation as the basis for an understanding of the scientific method; scientific literacy studies the history of the sciences, and recognizes the contribution of science to human progress. It studies the interrelationships among the sciences and between science and the language of mathematics. An understanding of basic statistical analysis, for example, is necessary for evaluating scientific data and interpreting scientific literature. Humanistic and Social Inquiry Humanistic inquiry studies and comes to respect the diversity of human experience while learning the interconnectedness of global and local concerns. The diversity of cultural traditions is stressed throughout together with an understanding of social and political institutions. Humanistic and social inquiry recognizes a variety of perspectives that emerge from new scholarship on gender, race, and class as well as from non- 7

8 western cultural traditions. The arts are stressed as a basic human activity. Art forms find their expressions culturally, politically, philosophically and ethically. ASSESSMENT OF GENERAL EDUCATION LEARNING OUTCOMES The methods for assessing general education objectives are generic but specificity may arise depending on which area of general education is being stressed. Multiple choice quizzes are especially useful for assessing reading comprehension of basic content as well as attention to detail. The written assignment is many and various depending on the purpose of the assignment. Assignments range from the low-stakes one-pager to the formal term paper. In class, group work resulting in formal/informal oral presentations. Short answer quizzes addressing basic reading comprehension. Collaborative, in-class editing of written work. BIBLIOGRAPHY: THE HERITAGE OF ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY Compiled by: Dr.D.McKinney 1994 Revised by: Dr.D.McKinney 1997 Revised by: Dr. W. Brand 2001 Revised by: Dr. Hugh P. McDonald, 2004 GENERAL: Allen, Reginald E. ed. Greek Philosophy, Thales to Aristotle. 3rd ed. NY: The Free Press, a Division of MacMillan Annas, Julia, ed. Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy, Vols.1-3, 5-11 NY: Oxford Univ. Press (Vol. IV. edited by M. Woods.) Brunt, P.A. Ancient Greek History and Thought. NY: Oxford U. P.1992., Studies in Greek History and Thought. NY: Oxford U.P Burrow, J.A. The Ages of Man, a Study in Medieval Writing and Thought. NY: Oxford Univ. Press Cartledge, Paul. The Greeks. A Portrait of Self and Others. NY: Oxford University Press 1993 Copenhaver, Brian P., Renaissance Philosophy, NY: Oxford U.P

9 Copleston, Frederick. A History of Philosophy, in 9 vols., Doubleday/Anchor, esp. vol. 1 and 2. Edwards, Paul. The Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 8 vols. NY: MacMillan (reprinted 1972) Hakim, Albert B. Historical Introduction to Philosophy. NY: MacMillan 1992 (Part I. The Ancient Period. Part II. The Medieval Period.) Hare, R.M. and Jonathan Barnes and Henry Chadwick. Founders of Thought. Plato, Aristotle, Augustine. NY: Oxford Univ. Press 1991 Inwood, Brad. Ethics and Human Action in Early Stoicism. NY: Oxford Univ. Press 1985 (paper 1987) Inwood, B and Gerson, L.P. editors. Hellenistic Philosophy: Introductory Readings, Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co Translations are divided into 3 sections: Epicureanism, Stoicism and Scepticism. Irwin, Terence. Classical Thought. NY: Oxford Univ. Press: 1989 Kaufman, Walter and Forrest E. Baird. Philosophic Classics. From Plato to Nietzsche. NJ Prentice Hall Philosophic Classics, 4 vols. (Vol. I: Ancient Philosophy; Vol II: Medieval Philosophy; Vol. III: Modern Philosophy; Vol.IV: Contemporary Philosophy) NJ: Prentice Hall 1994 Kretzmann, Kenny and Pinborg, eds. The Cambridge History of Later Medieval Philosophy. NY: Cambridge Univ. Press Magee, Bryan, The Great Philosophers, An Introduction to Western Philosophy. NY: Oxford Univ. Press Melchert, Norman P. The Great Conversation: A Historical Introduction to Philosophy. 2nd ed.mountain View, Cal.: Mayfield Pub. Co (Chapters 1-14) Morgan, Michael L., ed. Classics of Moral and Political Theory. Indianapolis:Hackett Publishing Co Includes 19 key texts in their entirety, with selections from 8 others: Works of Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, Epictetus, Augustine, Aquinas, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Kant, Mill, Marx, Nietzsche Reid, Jane Davidson, A Guide to Classical Subjects in the Arts, 2 vols. (NY: Oxford University Press: 1993) Romilly, Jacqueline de. The Great Sophists in Periclean Athens. translated by Janet LLoyd. NY: Oxford Univ. Press

10 Spade, Paul V., trans. and editor, Five Texts on the Medieval Problem of Universals: Porphyry, Boethius, Abelard, Duns Scotus, Ockham, Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co Saunders, Jason, L. ed. Greek and Roman Philosophy after Aristotle. NY: The Free Press, a Division of MacMillan, Inc Stockton, David. The Classical Athenian Democracy. NY: Oxford University Press 1990 Taylor, C.C.W. Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy. NY Oxford University Press. Ancient Philosophy: Vol XI: 1993 and Vol. XII An annual publication which includes original articles etc. on a wide range of topics in ancient philosophy. Weberg, Anders. A History of Philosophy. - 3 vols. NY: Oxford University Press. Vol Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Vol The Modern Age to Romanticism. Vol. 3. From Bolzano to Wittgenstein. Wolter, Father Allan B. Medieval Philosophy: St. Augustine to Ockham. NY: The Free Press, a Divison of MacMillan, Inc., INDIVIDUAL PHILOSOPHERS: In addition to those listed below, see The Library of Liberal Arts series of primary sources on Aquinas, Aristotle, Augustine, Bacon, Bonaventura, Burke, Dante, Lucretius, Machiavelli, Plato, and Xenophon (NY: MacMillan Publishing Co, LLA). and numerous collections of completed works. ARISTOTLE: Broadie, Sarah, Ethics with Aristotle. NY: Oxford Univ. Press Fine, Ga. and Irwin, T., eds. Aristotle, Selections. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co This volume provides generous selections from Aristotle s central texts in new, readable and accurate translations. Cooper, John M, Reason and Human Good in Aristotle (Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co. 1986) Fine, Gail, On Ideas, Aristotle s Criticism of Plato s Theory of Forms. NY: Oxford University Press Heinaman, R., ed., Plato and Aristotle s Ethics, Burlington, VT: Ashgate Publ., 2003 Irwin, Terence. Aristotle s First Principles. NY: Oxford Univ. Press 1989 (paper 1990) Kenny, Anthony. Aristotle on the Perfect Life. NY: Oxford University Press Keyt, D. and Miller, F.D., eds. A Companion to Aristotle s Politics. Cambridge, Ma. Blackwell Pub. Co. 10

11 1991 Rhodes, P.J. A Commentary on the Aristotelian Athenaion Politeia. NY: Oxford Univ. Press 1982 (paper 1993) Sherman, Nancy. The Fabric of Character. Aristotle s Theory of Virtue. NY: Oxford Univ. Press 1989 (paper 1991) AQUINAS (ST.THOMAS AQUINAS): Baumgarth, William P., and Reagan, Richard J., Thomas Aquinas, On Law, Morality and Politics. Indianapolis: Hackett Pub. Co Includes all but the strictly scriptural sections of Treatise on Law. Davies, Brian. The Thought of Thomas Aquinas. NY: Oxford U. Press 1992 Ingardia, Richard, ed. Thomas Aquinas: International Bibliography, Bowling Green, Ohio: Philosophy Documentation Center 1993 Kretzmann, Norman and Elenore Stump. The Cambridge Companion to Aquinas. NY: Cambridge University Press, 1993 AUGUSTINE: Brown, Peter, ed. Augustine, Confessions, translated by F. Sheed. Indianapolis:Hackett Publishing Co Bourke, Vernon J., ed. The Essential Augustine. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co Fortin, E.L. and Gunn, Roland, eds. Augustine, Political Writings, translated by Douglas Kries & Michael W. Tkacz. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co King, Peter, ed. Augustine, The Teacher and Against the Academicians. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co Williams,. Thomas, ed. Augustine, On Free Choice of the Will, Indianapolis:Hackett Publishing Co Wetzel, James. Augustine and the Limits of Virtue. NY: Cambridge Univ. Press 1992 AVERROES: Davidson, Herbert A. Alfarabi, Avicenna and Averroes, on Intellect. Their Cosmologies, Theories of the Active Intellect and Theories of Human Intellect. NY: Oxford Univ. Press

12 BONAVENTURE: Brown, Stephen, ed. Bonaventure, The Journey of the Mind to God, translated by Philotheus Boehner. Indianapolis: Hackett Pub. Co CICERO: Sabine, G.H. and Smith, S.B., eds. Cicero: On the Commonwealth. (NJ: MacMillan DUNS SCOTUS Wolter, Allan B. trans. Duns Scotus, Philosophical Writings: A Selection, Indianapolis, In: Hackett Publishing Co EPICURUS: Hutchinson, D.S., ed. Epicurus, Letters and Maxims, translated by Brad Inwood & Lloyd P. Gerson. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co MARCUS AURELIUS: Grube, G.M.A., trans. Marcus Aurelius, The Meditations. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co OCKHAM: Brown, Stephen, ed. William of Ockham, Philosophical Writings: A Selection, translated by Philotheus Boehner. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co., PLATO: Annas, Julia. An Introduction to Plato s Republic. NY: Oxford University Press Biffle, Christopher. A Guided Tour of Five Works by Plato: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Phaedo (Death Scene), and The Allegory of the Cave. 2nd ed. Mountain View, Cal.: Mayfield Pub. Co Heinaman, R., ed., Plato and Aristotle s Ethics, Burlington, VT: Ashgate Publ., 2003 Mitchell, B., and Lucas, J.R., An Engagement with Plato s Republic: A Companion to the Republic, Burlington Vermont: Ashgate Publ., Plato, Laches and Charmides, translated, with introduction by Rosamond Kent Sprague Indianapolis:Hackett Publishing Co

13 Plato, Phaedrus, translated with introduction by Paul Woodruff & Alexander Nehamas. Indianapolis:Hackett Publishing Co Plato, Five Dialogues (Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, Phaedo), translated by G.M.A. Grube Indianapolis, In:Hackett Publishing Co. 1981) Plato, Republic, translated by G.M.A. Grube, 2nd edition Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co Plato, Theatetus, translated by M.J. Levett, introduction by Bernard Williams. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co Kraut, R. The Cambridge Companion to Plato. NY: Cambridge U. Press 1992 Moravcsik, Julius. Plato and Platonism. Cambridge, Ma. Blackwell 1992 PRE-SOCRATICS: Curd, Patricia. A Presocratics Reader, Indianapolis, In: Hackett Publishing Co. 1996) McKirahan, Jr., Richard, Philosophy before Socrates, An Introduction with Texts and Commentary, Indianapolis, In:Hackett Publishing Co SOCRATES: Brickhouse, Thomas and Smith, Nicholas, D., Plato s Socrates. NY: Oxford University Press Reeve, C.D.C., Socrates in the Apology: An Essay on Plato s Apology of Socrates. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co Vlastos, Gregory, Socrates, Ironist and Moral Philosopher. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1989 THUCYDIDES: Woodruff, Paul, ed. Thucydides, On Justice, Power and Human Nature, Selections from History of the Peloponnesian War. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co