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180007 VO-L History of Philosophy I (Antiquity) (2015S)

From the Presocratics to Plato

5.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 18 - Philosophie

An introduction to the philosophy of the Ancient world has to face many challenges: Explain philosophic-historical contexts to our understanding, refer to doctrines, describe and interpret works, initiate critical discussions on various issues. A compromise has to be achieved between these manifold approaches in order that the lecture can provide an introduction to the ideas, terms and constellation of problems of that era by using carefully selected topics and texts. Reading and explaining short and concise original texts enabel a sustainable approach to the thinking of ancient philosophers.

The goal of the lecture in general is to demonstrate in an historic-systematic overview the all-important significance of ancient philosophy for the basic understanding of philosophy in particular. This is to succeed trying to describe the spectrum of meaning of important original Greek terms in their adequate philosophical context and possibly prove their survival or existance in today's scientific language.

The goal is to intensify the understanding of ancient philosophy as the Greeks first developed these very issues on interrogation as well as different methods and terms that characterize Western thought substantially up to current debates.

Nevertheless, problems, questions and topics of those times have remained ours afterall: Explain the world, coexist in social structures, act morally, strive for happiness, cope with suffering and death.
Moodle

Details

Language: German

Examination dates

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Wednesday 11.03. 13:15 - 14:45 Hörsaal 41 Gerda-Lerner Hauptgebäude, 1.Stock, Stiege 8
  • Wednesday 18.03. 13:15 - 14:45 Hörsaal 41 Gerda-Lerner Hauptgebäude, 1.Stock, Stiege 8
  • Wednesday 25.03. 13:15 - 14:45 Hörsaal 41 Gerda-Lerner Hauptgebäude, 1.Stock, Stiege 8
  • Wednesday 15.04. 13:15 - 14:45 Hörsaal 41 Gerda-Lerner Hauptgebäude, 1.Stock, Stiege 8
  • Wednesday 22.04. 13:15 - 14:45 Hörsaal 41 Gerda-Lerner Hauptgebäude, 1.Stock, Stiege 8
  • Wednesday 29.04. 13:15 - 14:45 Hörsaal 41 Gerda-Lerner Hauptgebäude, 1.Stock, Stiege 8
  • Wednesday 06.05. 13:15 - 14:45 Hörsaal 41 Gerda-Lerner Hauptgebäude, 1.Stock, Stiege 8
  • Wednesday 13.05. 13:15 - 14:45 Hörsaal 41 Gerda-Lerner Hauptgebäude, 1.Stock, Stiege 8
  • Wednesday 20.05. 13:15 - 14:45 Hörsaal 41 Gerda-Lerner Hauptgebäude, 1.Stock, Stiege 8
  • Wednesday 27.05. 13:15 - 14:45 Hörsaal 41 Gerda-Lerner Hauptgebäude, 1.Stock, Stiege 8
  • Wednesday 03.06. 13:15 - 14:45 Hörsaal 41 Gerda-Lerner Hauptgebäude, 1.Stock, Stiege 8
  • Wednesday 10.06. 13:15 - 14:45 Hörsaal 41 Gerda-Lerner Hauptgebäude, 1.Stock, Stiege 8
  • Wednesday 17.06. 13:15 - 14:45 Hörsaal 41 Gerda-Lerner Hauptgebäude, 1.Stock, Stiege 8
  • Wednesday 24.06. 13:15 - 14:45 Hörsaal 41 Gerda-Lerner Hauptgebäude, 1.Stock, Stiege 8

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

The aim of these lectures is to review the history of Ancient Philosophy, but we will do so focusing on ancient cosmology and on ancient ethics. ontology. Ancient Philosophy indeed begins with theories about the world (kosmos) and they are the main concern of the so-called Presocratics. These theories address the questions of how the world has come about, which are the principles accounting for the world, and of what the world consists. These questions were for the first time systematically treated by Plato in his dialogue Timaios. In this dialogue we are presented with the view that the world has been created by God, an intellect, who is portrayed as the creator of the universe. Aristotle disputes that view and he argues instead that nature alone is responsible for the structure and maintainance of the world. Ancient cosmological theories imply ontological views, that is views about the different kind and ways of being. For this reason we will also deal with ancient ontology, to the extent that this is necessary in order to understand ancient cosmology. In the last three lectures we will discuss the ethical theories of Plato and Aristotle.

Assessment and permitted materials

Written Examination

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Familiarity with important ancient philosophical concepts, methods and distinctions

Examination topics

We will proceed thematically. We will deal first with ancient cosmology and then with ancient ethics. We can thus capture best the arguments of the ancient philosophers.

Reading list

Reader (bei Facultas und auf Moodle)

Association in the course directory

BA M 4.1, EC 4, PP § 57.2.5

Last modified: We 03.11.2021 00:20