5200001 History of Western Philosophy
| Numbering Code | U-LET02 25200 LJ34 | Year/Term | 2022 ・ First semester | |
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| Number of Credits | 2 | Course Type | Lecture | |
| Target Year | Target Student | |||
| Language | Japanese | Day/Period | Wed.5 | |
| Instructor name | HAYASE ATSUSHI (Graduate School of Letters Associate Professor) | |||
| Outline and Purpose of the Course |
This lecture series will outline the emergence and development of philosophy in Ancient Greece. Ancient Greek philosophy is not merely a discipline of historical significance; it will also provide us with a profound insight for understanding some aspects of the modern world because of its pervasive influence throughout the history of Western philosophy and thoughts. It played a crucial role in the formation of philosophical and scientific concepts and of methods for organizing these concepts. Further, it keeps inspiring us by showing a model of thorough and in-depth thinking on the fundamental questions of our life. The first part of this lecture series deals with philosophical thoughts from the 7th to the 5th century BCE. I shall start with the watershed dividing philosophical ways of thinking from the mythical ways of thinking, and then carefully examine various intriguing ideas and thoughts proposed by Greek philosophers: the Ionian natural philosophy, half philosophical and half religious thoughts of Pythagoreans, Heraclitus' enigmatic sayings, Parmenides' and Empedocles' philosophical poems, Zeno's paradoxes, and Democlitus' theory of atoms. |
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| Course Goals |
To develop the ability to explain the views proposed by pre-eminent Greek philosophers on the basis of a proper understanding of their contexts. To develop the ability to consider in what ways Ancient Greek philosophy has influenced the modern world. |
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| Schedule and Contents |
The plan of lecture is as follows. The 1st session: Introduction to the history of Ancient Greek philosophy The 2nd session: The sources for the early Greek philosophy The 3rd session: Greek mythology and the Orient The 4th session: From religion to philosophy The 5th session: The Milesian school The 6th session: Xenophanes and Pythagoras The 7th session: Pythagoreans The 8th session: Heraclitus The 9th session: Parmenides The 10th session: Zeno The 11th session: Empedocles The 12th session: Anaxagoras and Melissus The 13th session: Atomists The 14th session: Diogenes of Apolonia The 15th session: Feedback |
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| Evaluation Methods and Policy | The final grade will be weighted as follows: final exam, 75%; short mid-term essay, 25%. | |||
| Course Requirements | None | |||
| Study outside of Class (preparation and review) | I shall distribute copies of materials for class in advance. Read the relevant parts carefully before attending a session. | |||
| Textbooks | Textbooks/References | Not used | ||
| References, etc. | Introduced during class | |||
