Module CLAS1101: Ancient Philosophy and the Pursuits of Wisdom

Department: Classics and Ancient History

CLAS1101: Ancient Philosophy and the Pursuits of Wisdom

Prerequisites

• None.

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• To examine philosophical concepts and the development of ideas in ancient philosophy: the module will function as an introduction to a wide range of philosophical topics.
• To develop critical and philosophical skills.
• To examine philosophical arguments and be able to reconstruct them.
• To relate ideas in ancient Western philosophy to ancient non-Western philosophy.

Content

• Ancient Philosophy and the Pursuits of Wisdom introduces students to questions and ideas in ancient philosophy as a discipline grounded in inquiry, argument, and the search for wisdom. The module starts from philosophical ideas in Homer and Hesiod, it progresses to early Greek philosophy and to dialogues by Plato and works by Aristotle. It ends with works by Hellenistic philosophers and by Augustine. By including lectures and/or seminars on ancient non-Western philosophical traditions, the course explores how thinkers in diverse cultures posed fundamental questions about reality, knowledge, virtue, justice, and the good life.
• Students will examine central philosophical concepts and trace the development of influential ideas as they emerged in various ancient contexts. Along the way, they will develop essential critical and philosophical skills, learning how to analyse, interpret, and evaluate the arguments of ancient thinkers. Particular emphasis will be placed on reconstructing philosophical arguments from primary texts and understanding how these arguments contribute to broader intellectual conversations.
• By setting ancient Western philosophy in dialogue with ancient non-Western traditions, the module encourages students to see ancient philosophy as a search for wisdom and to reflect on the shared human pursuits of wisdom across cultures. Through both historical study and philosophical practice, students will gain a strong foundation for further work in philosophy and the humanities.
• Readings may include selections from Homer’s Iliad or Odyssey, Hesiod’s Theogony or Works & Days, Plato’s Euthyphro and Protagoras, Aristotle’s Organon, Metaphysics, and Nicomachean Ethics, Epicurus’ Epistles and Principal Doctrines, texts about women Epicureans, Cicero’s De Officiis, Seneca’s Epistles, Epictetus’ Enchiridion, the letters and treatises of the Pythagorean Women, Augustine’s Confessions or City of God, selections of texts from Al-Fārābī, Old Chinese philosophy, and Buddhist philosophy.

Learning Outcomes

• Knowledge of the texts which are most important for our understanding of philosophy.

• The ability to approach the reconstruction of arguments and the development of ideas.
• The ability to handle basic philosophical concepts, including substance, change, being, primary and secondary qualities, relativism and scepticism.

• The capacity to present a well-researched, well-articulated, and well-balanced account of the evidence for a particular topic.
• The capacity to reconstruct a plausible line of thought from evidence.
• Increased clarity of thought and expression based on a more sophisticated analytical vocabulary.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Lectures form the core of the module, being used to provide guidance on interpreting ideas and texts, and to give models for reconstructing arguments. Lectures are delivered across Michaelmas and Epiphany term and normally includes two revision lectures in Easter term. Corresponding to this core is a 60% examination component in the final assessment. This tests the development of skills and the acquisition of knowledge of material across the breadth of the course.
• Seminars are used to give students practice in the manipulation of important concepts and the analysis of texts, an opportunity to talk through areas of difficulty.
• The portfolio, which constitutes 40% of the final assessment, includes at least one or two papers for a total of 1500 words.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

■ Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University.