Great Works in Philosophy

(4 Credits)

This class centers on close reading and discussion of classic philosophical texts. In this course, we will start with the ancient Greek philosophers whose work shaped the debate in European and Middle Eastern philosophy for millennia, and which has come to influence, in some way or another, nearly all contemporary philosophy. We will read some shorter Dialogues by Plato as well as the entirety of Plato’s Republic. We’ll then read Aristotle’s Categories and de Anima (or “on the Soul”), and then the work of the Medieval Islamic philosopher, Ibn Sina, working in the Aristotelian tradition. After that, we’ll see how these debates developed over time and were reflected in Descartes’ Meditations on First Philosophy, David Hume’s Enquiry into Human Understanding, and Immanuel Kant’s Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics. Prerequisite: None. Fulfillment: Humanities: New Major Introductory course; Old Major Survey