Readings for Philosophy 350, Spring Semester 2005

 

I will try to keep at least a week or two in advance of when we will be discussing the topics.  (But no firm promises!)  You should endeavour to read the assigned material before it is lectured about, as this will be a strong help in understanding the material.  As you will see when you read, some of the material is extremely obscure and its point is not at all obvious.  This will be the focus of the lectures: to give some sort of overall framework within which to understand the material.

 

Unless otherwise noted, the readings are from M. Cohen, P. Curd, and C. Reeve Readings in Ancient Greek Philosophy (2nd Edition).  I will also try to give an indication of just what parts of which authors we are reading, so that you can find it also in other books, if you do not happen to have this one.  (It is more difficult with the pre-Socratic philosophers to do this.  It is easier with Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.)  The dates are sort of fluidŠ

 

First week (Jan 10-14):

         Introduction (pp. 1-7)

         The Milesians

               Thales (pp. 8-10)

               Anaximander (pp. 10-12)

               Anaximenes (pp. 12-14)

         Pythagoras (pp. 15-20)

 

Second week (Jan 17-21):

         Heraclitus (pp. 24-34) mostly pay attention to fragments 1, 2, 18-90.

         Parmenides (pp. 35-41)

 

Third week (Jan 24-28):

         The Pluralists

               Anaxagoras (pp. 42-47)

               Empedocles (pp. 47-58)

         The Atomists (pp. 64-71)

               --and maybe some of Zeno/Melissus too--

 

Fourth week (Jan 31-Feb 4):

         Zeno (of Elea) (pp. 59-63)

         Melissus (pp. 76-79) especially fragments 7, 8.

         (Start on Socrates also: Perhaps

               Introduction: pp. 89-93

            Euthyphro: pp. 97-111.

                              [This is the entire Euthyphro, for those with other editions])

 

Fifth week (Feb 7-11):

         Apology: (pp. 112-130)

         Crito: (pp.131-141)

               [These are the entire Apology and Crito, for those with other editions]

 

Sixth week (Feb 14-18)::

         Republic, Book I: (pp. 263-291) [The entire Book I of the Republic]

 

 

Seventh week (Feb 21-25):

         Finish Republic, Bk I

         Midterm

         Start on remainder of Republic -- selections described on other online page

 

Eighth week (Feb 28-Mar 4):

         Continue reading remainder of Republic

         Meno 70a - 86c  (our textbook pp.191-204)

 

Ninth week (Mar 11-15):

         Phaedo 72d-107d, 114d-118a (our textbook 217-247)

 

Tenth week (Mar. 14-18):

         Parmenides 127b-135d (our textbook 536-545)

 

Eleventh week (Mar 21-25):

         Aristotle Introduction (pp. 577-587)

         Categories 1-5  (pp. 588-594) Bekker 1a-4b18

         De Interpretatione 1-4, 7 (pp. 595-598)  Bekker 16a-17a5, 17a39-18a10

         Posterior Analytics I.1-6, 10; II.8 (pp. 603-621) Bekker 100a20-76b2; 93a1-93b20

 

Twelfth week (Mar 28-Apr 1)

         28th is Easter MondayŠno class

         On Generation and Corruption I.1, 3-4 (pp.659-667) Bekker 314a1-320a8

         On the Heavens 1.2; III.3-6 (pp. 671-678) Bekker 268b11-269b16, 302a10-305a34

         Metaphysics I.1-4; IV.1-3 (pp. 690-699; 703-709)  Bekker 980a21-985b24;1003a21-1005b34

 

Thirteenth week (Apr 4-8)

         Metaphysics VII.1-4, 6, 10-11, 13, 15, 17; VIII.1-2 (pp. 690-731)  Bekker 1028a10-1030b14;

1031a15-1032a12; 1034b20-1037b7; 1038b3-1039a23; 1039b20-1040b4; 1041a6-1043a29

         De Anima I.1, 4; II.1-6 (pp. 741-756) Bekker 402a1-403b20; 408b3-19; 412a3-418a26