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ANCIENT GREEK AND ROMAN

PHILOSOPHY
Instructor: Daw-Nay N. R. Evans Jr.
Office: Così (Café and Restaurant)
Office Hours: By Appointment
Email: devans1@saic.edu
Meeting Times: Thursdays 6:00 PM-9:00 PM
Spring 2011

The safest general characterization

of the European philosophical
tradition is that it consists of a
series of footnotes to Plato.

~Alfred North Whitehead,

Process and Reality (1929)

DESCRIPTION

Whitehead’s assertion is the

most remarkable compliment ever
paid to a philosopher. It is often
repeated, but rarely understood or
appreciated. We will take
Whitehead seriously and attempt to
understand his admiration for Plato
by reading some of the Athenian philosopher’s most celebrated works. Arguably, the intellectual foundations of
Western civilization can be found in the ancient Greek and Roman world. For this reason, we will not only be
interested in exploring the strangeness of a world far removed from our own, but also the profundity of ancient
wisdom that challenges us to rationally justify our modern assumptions about ourselves and our world.

We will primarily be concerned with four philosophers: Plato’s Socrates (469–399 BC), Aristotle (384-
322 BC), Cicero (106–43 BC), and Epictetus (AD 55–135). Our journey will begin with several of Plato’s early
Socratic dialogues to consider both the most perplexing and the most seductive depiction of Socrates in
antiquity. Following that, we will read Plato’s portrayal of the trial and subsequent death of Socrates in the
Apology, Crito, and Phaedo. We will then turn to Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics to not only understand how
Aristotle conceptualizes the “good life,” but also to explore how his ethical views differ from, and in many
ways is contrary to, that of both his teacher Plato and Plato’s teacher Socrates. After exploring the classical
period of Greek philosophy, we will turn our attention to Roman philosophy as well as the three most important
philosophical movements that arose after the reign of Aristotle’s pupil Alexander the Great (356-323 BC),
namely Stoicism, Epicureanism, and Skepticism. In Cicero’s On Moral Ends, he critically engages all three of
these post-Aristotelian traditions to motivate the reader to decide for herself which path to right action is best.
Finally, we will read Epictetus’ The Handbook. The emancipated Roman slave explains how to exercise a
robust, practical rationalism that helps us to stand undaunted in the face of life’s uncertainties. Some of the key
questions we will answer include:
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 What is philosophia?
 What is the Socratic elenchos?
 Is Socrates guilty of committing the “Socratic fallacy”?
 What is Aristotle’s “Doctrine of the Mean”?
 Why does Shaquille O’Neal refer to himself as “The Big Aristotle”?
 What is Cicero’s critique of the Epicureans?
 What is Cicero’s answer to the question, “How should I live”?
 How might one distinguish between the philosophies of Socrates and Epictetus?
 What role does self-knowledge play in Epictetus’ ethics?

OBJECTIVES

 To learn about the origins of European philosophy

 To learn about philosophical problems and debates in ancient philosophy
 To cultivate an appreciation for the ways in which the ancients shaped Western civilization
 To learn how to read primary texts in ancient philosophy
 To learn how ancient ideas have influenced subsequent philosophers and politicians
 To learn how philosophy makes progress
 To learn the art of reading slowly as a necessary prerequisite for understanding philosophical texts
 To cultivate the ability to think critically
 To learn how to analyze philosophical concepts in a sophisticated and rigorous manner
 To learn how to write a philosophy essay

REQUIREMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS

1. Classroom Etiquette. If you come to class late, you should enter the room quietly and avoid walking
between the instructor and the class. You should use the restroom before class, during the break, or after class.
Make sure that all electronic devices have been turned off prior to the beginning of class. You should be
respectful of your classmates whose views you may find unreasonable. Additionally, you should avoid
exhibiting rude behavior such as eating in class, tweeting, sobbing uncontrollably, talking to your neighbor,
hysterical laughter, text messaging, and sleeping. If you bring food to class, you will be asked to leave.
Although you cannot bring food to class, you can bring a beverage of your choice.

2. Attendance Policy. I expect you to attend every class. Class begins promptly at 6:00 p.m. If you miss class
for any reason other than an absolute emergency, you should obtain the lecture notes from one of your
classmates. I do not provide lecture notes for missed classes unless you have a documented excuse such as a
jury summons or a doctor’s note. A proper doctor’s note is on office letterhead, signed and dated (not a
photocopy), and includes an address and phone number. You will dramatically increase the probability of
achieving success in this course if you simply come to class.

3. Class Participation (The Name Card System). Besides reading and writing philosophy, you can learn a
great deal by discussing philosophy face-to-face and in real time. Philosophical discussions not only challenge
you to defend your claims and sharpen your ideas, but also save you from wasting time on bad ones. Since this
course is taught in a lecture-discussion format, I expect everyone to participate in discussing the readings. In
order to facilitate a lively discussion I may randomly call on you to discuss some aspect of the day’s reading or
share your thesis statement with the rest of the class. Although we will primarily make use of the lecture-
discussion format, I may draw upon variations of the traditional lecture to shake things up (i.e., responsive
lectures, guided lectures, and feedback lectures). If you want to ask a question, make a comment, acquire
clarification about some portion of the lecture, or respond to another student’s comment, you should use your
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5” x 8” name card. You can be as creative as you want with your card as long as your name is still legible from
a distance. This is the procedure we will follow throughout the semester. Taking this approach will encourage
civility, maintain orderliness, enhance the teaching and learning experience of everyone in the classroom, and
allow you to more easily learn the names of your classmates.

4. Critical Reading Essays. Most Thursdays you will turn in a single-spaced, one-page (i.e., not three-quarters
of a page) essay at the beginning of class. Ten such essays are due by the end of the semester. Each essay must
directly engage a specific idea or passage from the assigned reading for that day and complete one of the
following tasks: (1) present a specific objection to one of the author’s claims {you must cite the page on which
this claim appears}; (2) render a seemingly inexplicable passage explicable {you must cite the page on which
this passage appears}; (3) offer a specific reason to accept one of the author’s claims {you must cite the page on
which this claim appears}; or (4) compare and contrast one of the author’s claims with that of another we have
read {you must cite the pages on which both of these claims appear}. The purpose of these essays is four-fold:
(1) to give you an opportunity to critically engage philosophical arguments, (2) to motivate you to think actively
rather than passively about the readings, (3) to help you begin the process of learning how to write philosophy,
and (4) to cultivate your ability for philosophical analysis as preparation for the Final Essay Exam. You do not
have to turn in a CRE the week of your Group Presentation. I will not accept these essays as email attachments.
Below you will find some directives to get you started.

 Thesis. Your first sentence must be your thesis statement. It should appear double-spaced above your
analysis and written as follows: “I will ___ (e.g., argue, explicate, show, develop, prove, analyze,
demonstrate, clarify) …”
 Format. (1) your name, the date, and both {A} which essay you are writing and {B} which task you will
be completing should appear single-spaced in the upper right corner of the page (e.g., CRE #2/Task #2
or CRE #8/Task #4), (3) 12-point Times New Roman font, (4) one inch margins at the top, bottom, left,
and right sides of the page
 Content. To receive the highest marks possible, you should: (1) avoid summarizing the text;
(2) revise or rewrite your essay where necessary since both what you say and how you say it matters;
(3) avoid putting quotations in your essay; and (4) engage the arguments, concepts, and ideas in the text
as directly as you possibly can.

In accordance with the criteria above, your essay could receive a + (100%=Excellent),  (75%=Satisfactory),
or a - (0%=Fail). To give you an opportunity to improve your philosophical writing, you have the option to
rewrite any of your CREs for a higher mark. If you receive too many failing grades, you will have to do some
rewrites. If any of the previously mentioned directives are not followed, you will receive a - regardless of the
content of your essay. In order to receive credit for this course, the average of all ten CREs must be at
least 70%.

5. Group Presentation. According to Andy Warhol, everyone will have their 15 minutes of fame. Well, this is
your time to shine! You will work in groups of two for a 15-minute presentation (this time limit does not
include the question and answer session) that introduces the class to the assigned reading for a given week.
Your presentation will consist of six parts:

A. Very Brief Overview: Who is the author? Is there anything fascinating, strange, or hilarious about the
author that you can share with us? What is the reading?
B. Explanation: What is the author’s problem, thesis, and strategy?
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C. Evaluation: Did you find the author’s argument convincing? If so, why? If not, why not? Do you have a
better solution to the problem the author is attempting to address? If so, what is it? How do you think the
author would respond to your response to his argument?
D. Perplexities: Was there anything you found truly confusing? You should discuss one or two of these
things here. You will not be penalized for bringing up genuinely maddening aspects of an author’s
argument.
E. Discussion Questions: You should prepare two questions for discussion. Intriguing, thought-provoking,
and creative questions are welcomed and encouraged.
F. Dialogue: Be prepared to field questions on A-E.

You can include handouts, a PowerPoint, outlines, images, or videos to spice up your presentation as long as
you address all six parts mentioned above. Each group is responsible for providing a well-written, clearly
organized hard copy of your presentation to your audience prior to the Dialogue portion of your talk. The
presentation will assist you in being an active participant in your own education, reinforce the skills already
being practiced in the Critical Reading Essays, and help you improve your public speaking skills. Your
presentation could receive 40-50 points (A), 30-39 points (B), 20-29 points (C), 10-19 points (D), or 0-9 points
(F) based on the criteria listed on the “Presentation Evaluation Form” posted on the Course Homepage. If you
fail to come to class on the day of your presentation, show up to class unprepared, or fail to do your fair share of
work, you will be rescheduled to do a 30 minute presentation later in the semester as well as write a 10-12 page
essay on a topic of my choice. If you choose not to do this far more difficult, alternative assignment or you
fall short of achieving at least 70% on your presentation, you will not receive credit for this course.

6. Progress Review. I will meet with each of you for a 15 minute conference midway through the semester to
discuss your progress, answer your questions, address your concerns, and ask some questions of my own
regarding the readings and course requirements. The Progress Review meeting gives us the opportunity to get
acquainted if we have yet to do so, discuss your previous essays, and discuss how you can achieve success
going forward. In order to receive credit for this course, you must attend this meeting.

7. Final Essay Exam. You will have a cumulative in-class final examination on Thursday, May 12. It will
consist entirely of explanatory essay questions. Explanatory essays require you to clarify the reasoning behind
an author’s argument, preferably by utilizing philosophical tools such as analogies, examples, or thought
experiments. I will place a set of topic questions for the final on the Course Homepage on April 28. On the day
of the final, I will choose a subset of these questions for you to answer. Additionally, it might be helpful for you
to form a study group to prepare for the final. A makeup exam will not be offered unless you have a
documented excuse. In order to receive credit for this course, you must receive at least 70% on your final
exam.

Note: If you do not complete the above requirements, you will receive a NCR for the course.

GRADING SCALE

A (100-90) = Excellent
B (89-80) = Good
C (79-70) = Satisfactory
D (69-60) = Fail
F (59-0) = Fail
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HOW TO READ PHILOSOPHY

One of the most important skills in philosophy is the ability to read texts carefully. By learning to read
texts well, you will increase your chances of success in this course and encourage informed and intelligent
classroom discussion. Since philosophical writing has a tendency to be difficult and sometimes indecipherable,
here are a few suggestions to get you started:

1. If the text includes an introduction, read it.

2. Do a preliminary reading of the text to attain a passing familiarity with its contents.
3. Reread the text to understand the subtleties of the author’s arguments.
4. Take notes on key ideas.
5. Ask yourself: “What is the author’s central thesis?” “Is the author right?” “How does the reasoning in
this paragraph relate to the author’s central thesis?”
6. Write down questions about the text.
7. Look up technical terms in The Penguin Dictionary of Philosophy.
8. Ask your questions in class.

REQUIRED AND RECOMMENDED TEXTS

In order to avoid citation and interpretive problems, you must buy your own paperback copy of the
following editions of the required texts. You must bring your texts to every class so that you can fully
appreciate the lectures and actively engage in discussing the readings. All of the following texts can be found at
the Barnes & Noble Bookstore. You should buy your books now, because the bookstore begins returning books
to the publisher as early as February to make room for new inventory. Additionally, I would strongly encourage
you to keep your books and build yourself a small library that can impress dates and be enjoyed throughout
your slow march towards senility.

1. Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Rev. Ed. (Oxford, 2009)

2. Cicero, On Moral Ends (Cambridge, 2001)
3. Epictetus, The Handbook (Hackett, 1983)
4. Daw-Nay Evans, “How to Write a Philosophy Essay” (Handout, 2011)
5. Mautner, Dictionary of Philosophy, 2nd Ed.(Penguin, 2005)
6. Plato, Laches and Charmides (Hackett, 1992)
7. Plato, The Trial and Death of Socrates, 3rd Ed. (Hackett, 2000)
8. Weston, A Rulebook for Arguments, 4th Ed. (Hackett, 2009)

ACCOMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

SAIC is committed to equal opportunities for students with disabilities and full compliance with relevant
disability laws. Students with disabilities in need of assistance or accommodations should contact SAIC’s
Disability and Learning Resource Center (DLRC). Staff at the DLRC will review the student’s disability
documentation and work with the student to determine reasonable accommodations. The DLRC will then
provide the student with a letter outlining approved accommodations. This letter must be presented to the
instructor to implement accommodations. Call (312) 499-4278 or email dlrc@saic.edu as early in the semester
as possible.
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PLAGIARISM

SAIC prohibits academic dishonesty, which includes “both plagiarism and cheating, and may consist of
the following: (1) the submission of the work of another as one’s own, (2) unauthorized assistance on a test or
assignment, (3) submission of the same work for more than one class without the knowledge and consent of all
instructors, or (4) the failure to properly cite texts or ideas from other sources” (see “Students’ Rights and
Responsibilities” in the Student Handbook). Plagiarism is a form of intellectual theft. One can plagiarize even if
it’s not one’s intention. The penalty for plagiarizing may range from failure on the specific plagiarized
assignment to failure in the class. Repeat offenses can lead to disciplinary action, which could include
suspension or expulsion from the School. The Faculty Senate Student Life Subcommittee has prepared a 28-
page handbook entitled Plagiarism: How to Recognize It and Avoid It.

OFFICE HOURS

During office hours I am available to answer any and all questions you might have. I strongly suggest
you take advantage of office hours to ask general questions about philosophy, the course requirements, or
supplementary resource materials for discussing, reading, and writing philosophy.

ABBREVIATIONS AND COURSE SCHEDULE*

LC Laches and Charmides

TD The Trial and Death of Socrates
RA A Rulebook for Arguments
NE Nicomachean Ethics
ME On Moral Ends
TH The Handbook

WEEK I: INTRODUCTION TO ANCIENT GREEK AND ROMAN PHILOSOPHY

JAN. 27: Opening Remarks & Socrates’ Philosophical Doctrines and Pedagogical Methods

WEEK III: PLATO’S SOCRATES AND SOCRATIC INTELLECTUALISM

FEB. 10: LC {“Preface” & “Intro.” to Laches [rec.]; Laches [req.]} RA {Chaps. I-V [req.]} CRE 1 DUE

WEEK IV: THE EXECUTION OF AN “ATHENIAN BUFFOON”

FEB. 17: TD {“Pref.” & “Intro.” [rec.]; Euthy. [req.]; Apol. [req.]} RA {Chaps. VI-IX [req.]} CRE 2 DUE

WEEK V: THE EXECUTION OF AN “ATHENIAN BUFFOON” CONT.

FEB. 24: TD {Apology cont. [required]; Crito [required]; Phaedo [required]} CRE 3 DUE

WEEK VI: ARISTOTLE ON THE GOOD LIFE

MAR. 3: NE {“Introduction” [recommended]; Books I-II [required]} CRE 4 DUE

WEEK VII: ARISTOTLE ON THE GOOD LIFE CONT.

MAR. 10: NE {Books III-IV [required]} CRE 5 DUE

WEEK VIII: ARISTOTLE ON THE GOOD LIFE CONT.

MAR. 17: NE {Books V-VI [required]} CRE 6 DUE
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WEEK IX: SPRING BREAK-NO CLASS

MAR. 24: NE {Books VII-VIII [required]}

WEEK X: ARISTOTLE ON THE GOOD LIFE CONT.

MAR. 31: NE {Books IX-X [required]} CRE 7 DUE

WEEK XI: CICERO’S ACADEMIC SKEPTICISM

APR. 7: ME {“Introduction” [recommended]; Book I [required]} CRE 8 DUE

WEEK XII: CICERO’S ACADEMIC SKEPTICISM CONT.

APR. 14: ME {Book II [required]} CRE 9 DUE

WEEK XIII: CICERO’S ACADEMIC SKEPTICISM CONT.

APR. 21: ME {Books III-V [required]} CRE 10 DUE

WEEK XIV: STOICISM: THE ETHICS OF A ROMAN SLAVE

APR. 28: TH {“Introduction” [recommended]; pp. 11-29 [required]} CRE 11 DUE

WEEK XV: CRITIQUE WEEK–NO CLASS

MAY 5: Finish last preparations for the Final Exam. OPTIONAL REVIEW SESSION UPON REQUEST!!

WEEK XVI: FINAL ESSAY EXAM

MAY 12: The Final Reckoning & Closing Remarks

*THIS SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT THE DISCRETION OF THE INSTRUCTOR. YOU WILL BE
PROMPTLY INFORMED OF ANY AND ALL SUCH CHANGES.

Page 1 illustration: This is Jacque-Louis David’s The Death of Socrates (1787), showing Socrates preparing to drink the
poisonous hemlock as he points to the higher realm which he considers his final resting place.