Introductory description

This module introduces thinkers, ideas and arguments from ancient philosophy that have been foundational for the western philosophical tradition. Thinkers studied include Heraclitus, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. Students are introduced both to the primary texts and to secondary literature. The module focuses specifically on metaphysics, epistemology and ethics, and emphasizes contrast and continuity between treatments of these topics in the ancient literature. The module contrasts the Milesian naturalism of the first philosophers with the Athenian non-naturalism of Socrates and Plato, and goes on to focus on Aristotle's attempts to combine these two different traditions of thinking. The module provides a foundation both for further study of Greek philosophy, and for study of contemporary philosophical literature that engages with these traditional themes.

Module web page

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Representative topics

Milesian naturalism and the birth of philosophy
Heraclitus on flux
Parmenides on 'what is'
Socrates and the Socratic method in Plato's Early Dialogues
Plato's Meno: Epistemology and the Paradox of Enquiry
Forms and the Soul in Plato's Phaedo
Aristotle on Nature and the Four Causes in the Physics
Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics: The Good Life and the Function Argument

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• (i) understand the main philosophical issues and arguments presented in a number of important texts of ancient philosophy
• (ii) critically engage with the main ideas and arguments of these texts, and articulate their own views about the relative strengths or weaknesses of these arguments.
• (iii) Develop the skills of close reading of ancient philosophical texts, including an ability to understand and explain technical vocabulary from ancient philosophical texts and an awareness of debates about the interpretation of certain key terms in ancient texts.

Indicative reading list

Introductory Texts

Shields, C. 2012. Ancient Philosophy: A Contemporary Introduction. 2nd ed. London, Routledge. (Or 3rd edition, 2022)
Graham, Daniel W. 2020. Ancient Philosophy: The Fundamentals. Oxford, Wiley-Blackwell.

Primary Texts

Barnes, J. (ed.). 2002. Early Greek Philosophy. London, Penguin.
Cooper, J. (trans.) 2002. Plato, Five Dialogues: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, Phaedo.
Indianapolis, Hackett.
Waterfield, R. (trans.) 2009. Meno and Other Dialogues. Oxford, O.U.P.
Ackrill, J. (ed.) 1987. A New Aristotle Reader. Oxford, O.U.P. A very reliable collection of selected
works, containing all of the Aristotle material relevant to this course.
Waterfield, R. 2008. Aristotle, Physics. Oxford, O.U.P. Contains helpful introductory material.

Secondary Texts
Barnes, J. 1982. The Presocratic Philosophers. London, Routledge.
Long, A. A. 1999. The Cambridge Companion to Early Greek Philosophy. Cambridge, C.U.P.
Irwin, T. 1988. Aristotle’s First Principles. Oxford, O.U.P.
Kraut, R. (ed.) 1992. The Cambridge Companion to Plato. Cambridge, C.U.P.
Barnes, J. (ed.) 1995. The Cambridge Companion to Aristotle. Cambridge, C.U.P.
Fine, G. (ed.) 1999. Plato 1: Metaphysics and Epistemology. Oxford, O.U.P.
Fine. G. (ed.) 1999. Plato 2: Ethics, Politics, Religion and the Soul. Oxford, O.U.P.
Fine. G. 2003. Plato on Knowledge and Forms. Oxford, O.U.P.
Shields, C. 2014. Aristotle. London, Routledge.

Subject specific skills

(i) The capacity to read classic works of Ancient philosophy, centrally those of Plato and Aristotle and to understand key ideas in those texts.
(ii) The capacity to explain key arguments found in classic philosophical texts, such as those in Plato and Aristotle.
(iii) To develop an appreciation of the strengths and weaknesses of these arguments, and to be able to communicate these strengths and weaknesses in written work.

Transferable skills

(i) To acquire the capacity to read difficult material effectively and critically.
(ii) To develop the capacity to explain demanding ideas and arguments clearly, briefly and accurately.
(iii) To think creatively about problems by deploying the capacity for clear thinking and reasoning