Philosophy 25A

This course is an introduction to the philosophical thought of ancient Greece. We will approach a broad range of philosophical questions by examining and writing about the philosophy of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and other ancient authors. Among the questions we will ask are: What does reality consist in, and how do we know about it? What is the nature of knowledge? What is the structure of the soul? What is virtue, and how does one acquire it? And what is required to lead a good life? We study these foundational questions of metaphysics, epistemology and ethics through the eyes of ancient philosophers because they were the first to ask these questions, and the first to devise methods for answering them which are continuous with our philosophical practice today. For this reason, the course serves as a good introduction to philosophical thought and method generally.