Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Spring 2025 - PHIL 350 D100

Ancient Philosophy (3)

Class Number: 6358

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Tue, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    One prior philosophy course (not including PHIL 105, PHIL 110, PHIL 310, PHIL 314, or PHIL 315).

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Examines central philosophical themes and figures in ancient philosophy. Topics may include justice, knowledge, the good life, time, change, appearance and reality, the nature of God, and others. Historical readings will be the central focus and may include works by Plato, Aristotle, Thales, Anaximander, Pythagoras, Parmenides and others.

COURSE DETAILS:


Ancient Greek philosophy: this course surveys a selection of philosophical writings from Ancient Greece, mostly from the classical period. The focus will be on the works of Plato and Aristotle but works of the so-called “presocratics” as well as works from the Hellenistic period will also be discussed. We will seek to precisely understand the thesis advanced by those philosophers as well as the philosophical method they are deploying, and furthermore to situate them in their historical context.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

To develop a deeper understanding of the core concepts of logical methodology, including:

- To appreciate the origins and complexity of the core concepts of philosophical methodology.
- To reflect an understanding of the way in which philosophers have both disagreed with each other and built upon each other’s work across schools of thought.
- To establish connections between various writers’ views about philosophy and their views about their society and science broadly construed.
- To become familiar with the philosophical doctrines of some of the historically most impactful philosophers.

Grading

  • Participation (see notes) 20%
  • A 6-7 pages midterm paper 25%
  • A 10-15 pages term paper examining an ancient Greek philosophical thesis and including a discussion of some of the secondary literature 55%

NOTES:

Participation (20%) taking two forms:

- Weekly written participation to our discussion board, in terms of raising questions for discussion, and contributing to discussions arising from other students’ questions.

- Participation to in-person seminars.

Attendance will be mandatory.

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

Readings will be distributed in PDF on Canvas or links will be provided to free text repositories.

REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Department Undergraduate Notes:

Thinking of a Philosophy Major or Minor? The Concentration in Law and Philosophy? The Certificate in Ethics? The Philosophy and Methodology of Science Certificate?
Contact the PHIL Advisor at philcomm@sfu.ca   More details on our website: SFU Philosophy

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity website http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the university community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the university. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the university. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.