PHI 221 Ancient Greek Philosophy
This course is an introduction to history of Ancient Greek Philosophy. We will cover key figures and movements from the 7th to the 4th century BCE. In the first part of the course we will study the early thinkers who moved from mythological to scientific explanations of the natural world. We will then focus on Plato and Aristotle, whose work gives us the distinctions in philosophy that we still see in contemporary thought. Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to think critically about major issues in Ancient Greek philosophy and their development. You will be able to write logically about the issues and you will be able to orally defend an argument for your view. You will have knowledge of the views espoused by several major philosophical thinkers, particularly Parmenides, Heraclitus, Plato, and Aristotle, and how the views are related to each other.