Ancient and Medieval Theories of Self

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

Ever since Foucault's groundbreaking studies on the history of sexuality, and especially the third volume, Care of the Self, the notion of ‘self' has become ubiquitous—even though the French original was careful not to use the definite article in its title, and thus would better be rendered as ‘the care of self' (le souci de soi). In this course we will examine what is considered the core of a human being in ancient Greek, Roman, and Christian traditions. What do we mean when we apply the notion of ‘self' to these views, and is it adequate? Is there such a thing as ‘the' self, and how is this notion related to other concepts such as ‘person,' ‘subject,' or ‘individual'? What does it mean to be a human being, an embodied being, an ethical being, a responsible agent, an individual, a member of a community or even the cosmos? The course will combine a range of themes that throw light on these issues, such as the models of the soul, the relation between soul and body, the role of striving towards some kind of perfection, or ‘becoming like god,' and sociability. We will examine these themes with close readings of key texts by ancient (p. ex. Plato, Aristotle, Stoics), late antique (p. ex. Plotinus) and Christian authors (p. ex. Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, and Teresa of Avila).