COURSE DESCRIPTIONS FOR FALL 2005

Steven K. Strange

 

PHIL 190.01P (2379): Freshman Seminar – Philosophy of Socrates

Instructor: Steven K. Strange

TuTh 8:30-9:45AM, Candler Library 122

 

Content:

Perhaps the most important and certainly the most fascinating figure in the history of Western philosophy is its founder, Socrates, who wrote nothing, yet still has managed to influence our thought and culture in fundamental ways for nearly 2500 years. We will study the figure of Socrates as moral and cultural critic, literary character, and philosopher, as well as some of the most important reactions to him in later thought, such as those of Epictetus, Montaigne, and Nietzsche.

 

Texts:

Reeve, ed. The Trials of Socrates

Plato, Laches and Charmides

Xenophon, Conversations of Socrates

Epictetus, Handbook

Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols
Other materials on reserve

 

Particulars:

Two essays, class participation and discussion, midterm and final examination

 

 

PHIL 367WR.000 (2424) : Seminar on Ancient Philosophy – Plato and Platonism

Instructor: Steven K. Strange

M 2:00-4:00PM, Woodruff Library 874

 

Content:

Philosophy in the West, as Alfred North Whitehead famously declared, is but a series of footnotes to Plato. One might therefore best approach it by studying the philosophy of Plato and the tradition it spawned in antiquity. We will study, along with some of Plato’s most important dialogues, the thought of his ancient followers, ending with the very influential philosophy of Plotinus, the founder of Neoplatonism.

 

Texts:
Plato, Complete Works, ed. Cooper & Hutchinson

Alcinous, The Handbook of Platonism, ed. Dillon

Dillon and Gerson, eds., Readings in Neoplatonic Philosophy

Other readings on reserve.

 

Particulars:

Three essays, including one to be revised and resubmitted, class participation, final examination

 

TEXTS FOR PHIL 190

Reeve,  C.D.C., ed. The Trials of Socrates (Hackett pb 0-87220-589-4)

Plato, Laches and Charmides, ed. R. K. Sprague (Hackett pb 0-87220-134-1)

Xenophon, Conversations of Socrates, ed.H. Tredennick and R. Waterfield (Penguin pb 014044517X)

Epictetus, Handbook, ed. N. White (Hackett pb 0-915145-69-3)

Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols (Hackett pb ISBN 0-87220-354-9)

 

RESERVES
Hansen, The Trial of Sokrates from the Athenian Point of View
A. A. Long, Epictetus: A Stoic and Socratic Guide to Life
Montaigne, Of Physiognomy
Cicero, De Fato selection
A. Nehamas, The Art of Living

 

TEXTS FOR PHIL 367WR

Plato, Complete Works, ed. J. Cooper and D. S. Hutcheson (Hackett cloth 0-87220-349-2)

Alcinous, The Handbook of Platonism, ed. J. Dillon (Oxford pb 0198236077)

Dillon, J. and L. Gerson eds., Readings in Neoplatonic Philosophy (Hackett pb 0-87220-707-2)

 

RESERVES
Gerson, Aristotle and other Platonists
Dillon, The Heirs of Plato
Dillon, The Middle Platonists
O'Meara, Plotinus: An Introduction
A. Smith, Philosophy in Late Antiquity