Objectives and competences
The main aim of this lecture is to introduce students into the main historical periods of premodern European philosophy up to the medieval philosophy. Lectures follow the presentation of the basic ancient philosophers and their theories, concentrating on main philosophical problems and analyzing the arguments, paying attention to those playing substantial role in the history of philosophy. Students will be accustomed to work autonomously on interpretation of philosophical issues as well as analytical reading of texts.
Content (Syllabus outline)
• A survey on the conception of history of philosophy and philosophies in general,
• prephilosophical thinking and social circumstances of the development of Greek culture and its philosophy (mythos vs. logos),
• presocratic philosophical thought from Thales to atomists (nature, change, cause in the so-called philosophy of nature, world harmony, number and soul in Pythagoreism, certain knowledge in Xenophanes, coming-to-be and logos in Heraclitus, Eleatic school on being, theory of coming-to-be in Empedocles, Anaxagoras and Democritus, etc.),
• the Greek sophists: Protagoras, Gorgias (knowledge vs. opinion, relativity of cognition, etc.).
• Socrates and Socratic schools: the Megarics, Cyrenaics, Cynics, Plato's philosophy and Academy (theory of forms, theory of knowledge, structure and origin of world, relation soul-body, virtues and the form of good, theory of polis etc.); Aristotle and the Peripatetic school (metaphysics and theory of substance, philosophy of nature, psychology, logic and knowledge theory, form and matter, ethics, political philosophy and theology, etc.),
• hellenistic philosophy (Epicureanism: logic, physics, ethics in Epicurus, Lucretius and others; Stoicism: stoic logic and theory of lekta, knowledge theory and phantasia kataleptike, apatheia and theory of passions; skepticism: Pyrrho and Sextus Empiricus, suspension of judgment and certainty of knowledge. Roman philosophy and eclecticism: Seneca, Cicero,
• neoplatonism and the end of ancient period: Plotinus, Proclus, Boethius; Greek patristics.
• special attention is dedicated to reading and analysis of Plato's dialogues.
Learning and teaching methods
problem-focused lectures and reading,
interactive teaching strategies: group sessions, debate and individual home work,
exploration, discussion and the enhancement of understanding through reconstruction and analysis of different views.
Intended learning outcomes - knowledge and understanding
On completion of this course the student will be able to
demonstrate knowledge of basic philosophical issues from Presocratics to Greek patristics,
understand and interpret the problems and its solutions of philosophical dilemmas from these period of history of philosophy,
develop his competences for individual thinking about these issues and transferring the knowledge or teaching others.
Intended learning outcomes - transferable/key skills and other attributes
ability to recognize the problems and arguments,
ability for careful interpretations and comparison of variety of texts,
clear insight into basic theories and arguments within some historical period of philosophy,
ability to use and comprehend philosophical terminology of this philosophical period.
Readings
- Fragmenti predsokratikov, 2012, Študentska založba, Ljubljana, uredil Gorazd Kocijančič.
- Platon, 2004: Zbrana dela, Mohorjeva založba, Celje, prevedel Gorazd Kocijančič.
- Aristotel, 1999: Metafizika, Založba ZRC, Ljubljana, prevedel Valentin Kalan.
- Barnes, J., 1999: Aristotel. Dodatek Metafizika, Aristej, Šentilj.
- Vezjak, B., 2011: Sokratov pojmovnik za mlade, Aristej, Šentilj.
- Reale, G., 2002: Zgodovina antične filozofije, Studia humanitatis, Ljubljana.
Prerequisits
None.
Conditions for prerequisits:
Passing grade of the presentation is required for taking the written exam.
Additional information on implementation and assessment - written exam, 60 %
- presentation and coursework 20 %
- participation and discussion 20 %
