Ancient Philosophy Courses at UIC, Northwestern, U of C – 2009-10

It is always a good idea to contact the instructor before attending a class at another institution.

Because of a cooperative arrangement between the three universities (CIC, Committee on Institutional Cooperation), students enrolled at any university may register and receive equivalent credit for courses at the others. Nonetheless, if you want to take a course in order to fulfill some specific requirement, you should check with your department.

Connie Meinwald is on fellowship this year so all courses are at U of C or Northwestern.

Key: G = Grad seminar, U/G = Undergrad/Grad course

Fall Quarter:

Northwestern:

M 3-5 -- John Wynne – The Platonic Dialogue (G)

TuThu 2-3:30 -- John Wynne – Lucretius (in Latin) (U/G)

TuTh 11:00 - 12:20PM – Richard Kraut – Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics (U/G)

This course will be an examination of Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics. We will work carefully through the whole of this treatise and will also consider some recent interpretive essays about it.

U of C:

TuTh 12-1:20 – Gabriel Lear - Plato’s Aesthetics. (U/G)

The ideas that poetic creativity is inspired rather than grounded in technical knowledge, that it is mimetic, that the audience of poetry suspends ordinary rational evaluation, that poems should be evaluated in terms of their moral effect--the way Plato developed these thoughts proved to be enormously influential on the history of Western poetics.  In this course we will examine Plato's fascinating discussions of poetry with an eye to understanding the nuances of his theory and in the hope of understanding why this great innovator in poetic theory was also one of poetry's greatest critics.  Dialogues to be read in whole or in part include Ion, Republic, Gorgias, Protagoras, and Laws. (IV) (B). G. Lear.

Winter Quarter:

Northwestern:

Skepticism Ancient and Modern -- Baron Reed (G)

U of C:

Tu 3-5:40 – Cicero’s De Officiis – Martha Nussbaum (U/G)

PQ: Five quarters of Latin or equivalent, or option to audit. This course is a study of one of the most influential works in the whole history of Western political thought—a primary foundation for modern ideas of global justice and the just war. We understand it in the context of Cicero’s thought and its background in Hellenistic philosophy, and we also do readings in translation that show its subsequent influence. Optional translation sessions held in first hour of each class. M. Nussbaum. (A)

Plato on Desire – Agnes Callard (U/G)

PQ: Consent of instructor. Class limited to twenty students. What is it about us, or about the world, that makes us prone to initiating changes in it? The question of why we do anything at all is a question about the nature of desire, a subject on which Plato had a lot to say. In this seminar, we try to think, with Plato and Socrates, about the relationship between desire, pleasure, goodness, and action. Readings come from Plato’s Philebus, Symposium, Gorgias, Republic, and Protagoras. A. Callard.

Spring Quarter:

Northwestern:

TBA (Aristotle’s Physics II or Metaphysics Alpha and Beta) -- David Ebrey (G)

U of C:

Liberty and Equality in Ancient Political Thought – Elizabeth Asmis (G)

This course will focus on three approaches to liberty and equality among the Greeks and Romans: Aristotle’s analysis in his Politics, Cicero’s transformation of Greek concepts into Roman concepts; and the contributions of the Stoics. All of these approaches had a huge influence on later thinking.  Some of the questions we will discuss are: What makes one person equal to another?  How applicable is the distinction between negative and positive freedom to the authors we will read? What is democratic freedom?  How does ideology cover up reality? Did the Greeks or Romans have any idea of human rights? Knowledge of Greek or Latin will be useful, but is not required. Special translation sessions will be held for those who know Greek or Latin.

Gabriel Lear and Anton Ford -- Aristotle on Justice & Political Friendship (G)

This course will examine some of Aristotle's ethical and political writings with a view to understanding his theory of justice and political friendship. As time permits we will consider Aristotle's distinction between general and particular justice, his distinction between distributive and rectificatory justice, his claim that man is a "political animal,"  his account of slavery and other forms of rule, the varieties of friendship, and his views about the best form of political constitution. A. Ford, G. Lear (IV)