| First
Half of Course Ancient Stoicism |
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| Dates |
Topic |
Ancient
Reading |
2ndary
Reading (usually optional) |
Papers
and Reports DUE |
Letters |
| T, Aug. 31 Th, Sept. 2 |
Why Stoicism? Who were the ancient Stoics? How do we know about them? Where did Stoicism come from and in what environment did it flourish? |
Jan. 16: Epictetus Book 1, Chapter 1, Seneca Epistles, Book 2, Letter LXVII Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Meditations, I |
Brennan Chapters 1-3 PLEASE READ: Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Stoicism |
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Thurs. Grp I (last names beginning with A-M) Bring three copies to class: one for Jacques and two for classmates. |
| September |
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| T. Sept. 7 Th, 9 |
Stoic Ethics summarized |
Epictetus' Handbook (Greek
Enchiridion) Epictetus Book 1, Chapter 15 Seneca Seneca Epistles, Book 2, Letter LXVIII and LXXXIX Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Meditations, II |
Brennan Chapter 4 |
Thurs. Grp II (last names beginning with N-Z) Bring three copies to class: one for Jacques and two for classmates. |
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| T. Sept. 14 Th 16 |
Stoic Psychology/Epistemology |
L&S 39-42 Epictetus Book 1, Chapter 20 and 27 Book 2, Chapter 18 Seneca Epistles, Book 1, Letter XIII and Epistle LIII and Book 2, Epistle LXXVI and Book 3 Epistle CXIII and Epistle CXX Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Meditations, III |
Brennan Chapters 5-7 |
ExplanatoryPapers: Tuesday: on L&S §39 + 40 "Impressions" or "The Criterion of Truth" Thursday: Sofia and Hunter L&S §41 +42 "Knowledge and Opinion" or "Scientific Methodology" |
Thurs. Grp I (last names beginning with A-M) Bring three copies to class: one for Jacques and two for classmates. |
| T. Sept. 21 Th. 23 |
The goal of life What is good? Indifferent things. Oikeiosis |
L&S 56-60 Epictetus Book 2, Chapter 6, 8, and 22 and Book 1, Chapter 8 Seneca Epistles, Book 2, Letter LXVI and Letter LXXI, LXXIII and LXXIV Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Meditations, IV |
Brennan Chapters 8-10 |
Explanatory Papers: Tuesday: Nick N and Charlie W L&S §57 and 58 "Impulse and Appropriateness" or "Value and Indifference" Thursday: Emily S and Michael J L&S 59 and 60 "Proper Functions" or "Good and Bad" |
Thurs. Grp II (N-Z) Bring three copies to class: one for Jacques and two for classmates. |
| T. Sept. 28 Th. 30 |
What should we do? |
L&S 61, 63, 65 Epictetus Book 1, Chapter 2, 3 (very short), 4, 24 Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Meditations, V |
Brennan Chapters 11-13 |
ExplanatoryPapers: Tuesday: Jack L and Dan L&S § 61 and 63 "Virtue and Vice" or "The End and Happiness" Thursday: Cayden and Cal§ 65 "The Passions" |
Thurs. Grp I (A-M) 3 copies |
| October |
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| T. Oct. 5 Th. 7 |
Fate, God, Necessity, Responsibility |
L&S 46, 54, 55,
62 Epictetus Book 1, Chapter 6, 12, Book 2, Chapter 19 Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Meditations, VI |
Brennan Chapters 14-15 |
Explanatory Papers:
Tuesday: Natalie and Evan on L&S §46 and 54 "God, Fire, Cosmic Cycle" and/or "Theology" Thursday: Emily M and Gurzenda J on L&S §55 and 62 "Causation and fate" and/or "Moral Responsibility" SIGN UP FOR REPORTS |
Thurs. Grp II (N-Z) 3 copies |
| T. Oct. 12 Th. Oct.14 |
The "lazy" argument Will The Stoic Ethical System and the Stoic System |
L&S 64, 66, 67 Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Meditations, VII |
Brennan Chapters 16-18 Keith Seddon on Stoic Causality and Responsibility (and an alternate version in case link goes dead) |
Explanatory Papers:
Tuesday: Becket and Nate L&S §66 and 67 "Ethics in Action" and/or "Political Theory" Thursday: Katherine and Luke J L&S §64 "The End: Academic Criticism and Stoic Defence" SIGN UP FOR REPORTS |
Thurs. Grp I (A-M) 3 copies |
| T.
Oct. 19 Th. 21 |
Stoic Logic | L&S 33, 35, 38 Epictetus Book 1, Chapter 7, 8, 17 Seneca Epistles, Book 3, #97 Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Meditations, VIII |
Sellars Chapter 3 | ExplanatoryPapers: Tuesday: Raphael Garrett L&S §33 "Sayables (Lekta)" and §34"Simple Propositions" Thursday: Katherine H Sam S L&S 35 and 38 "Non-simple Propositons" and "Modality" SIGN UP FOR REPORTS |
Thurs. Grp II (N-Z) 3 copies |
| T.
Oct. 26 Th. 28 |
Stoic Physics |
L&S 45, 47-51 Cicero On the Nature of the Gods (book II only) Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Meditations, IX Plutarch The Contradictions of the Stoics provides a taste of a polemic source for Stoicism (click the link then scroll down to a link to it in the Table of Contents) |
Sellars Chapter 4 |
Explanatory Papers: Tuesday: Alex G L&S 45, 47, 48 "Body," "Elements, Breath, Tenor, Tension," and "Mixture" Thursday: Henry L&S 49-51 "Place and Void" "Continuum" "Time" SIGN UP FOR REPORTS |
NO LETTERS |
| T. Nov. 2: MIDTERM |
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| SECOND
HALF
OF COURSE Three modern applications of Stoicism: Becker, Stockdale, and "stoicismtoday" and Class Member Reports |
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| Reading |
Report
Presentations |
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| Th. Nov. 4 |
Becker Chapters 1-4 Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Meditations, X |
NO LETTERS |
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| November |
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| T. Nov. 9 Th. 11 |
Becker Chapters 5-6 Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Meditations, XI |
Thurs. Grp I (A-M) 3 copies |
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| T. Nov. 16 Th. 18 |
Becker Chapter 7 Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Meditations, XII Justus Lipsius De Constantia Book 1 : this is my own translation and a work in progress: it starts with dedicatory poems and two prefaces: you can safely start on P. 9 |
TUESDAY: Reports 1. Woelfel, J. (2011). “The Beautiful Necessity”: Emerson and the Stoic Tradition. American Journal of Theology & Philosophy, 32(2), 122–138. http://www.jstor.org/stable/27944542 Dan Juliana 2. Annas, J. (2007). Ethics in Stoic Philosophy. Phronesis, 52(1), 58–87. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4182824 Luke 3. Donna Zuckerberg "Not All Dead White men: Classics and Misogyny" Katherine Holland THURSDAY: 1. Blecher, I. (2006). The Stoic Method of Happiness. Apeiron: A Journal for Ancient Philosophy and Science, 39(2), 157–176. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40914023 Will Michael Garrett 2. White, S. (2007). POSIDONIUS AND STOIC PHYSICS. Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies. Supplement, 94, 35–76. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43767819 Jack EmilyM Nick |
Thurs. Grp II (N-Z) 3 copies |
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| T. Nov. 30 Th. Dec. 2 |
Justus Lipsius De Constantia Book II | Reports TUESDAY 1. Ju, A. E. (2009). Stoic and Posidonian Thought on the Immortality of Soul. The Classical Quarterly, 59(1), 112–124. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20616665 Evan Sam Emily S 2. Sellars, J. (2007). STOIC PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY IN THE IMPERIAL PERIOD. Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies. Supplement, 94, 115–140. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43767822 Henry Natalie Raphael THURSDAY 1. Boeri, M. D. (2010). The Stoic Psychological Physicalism: An Ancient Version of the Causal Closure Thesis. CR: The New Centennial Review, 10(3), 105–132. http://www.jstor.org/stable/41949714 Hunter Cayden 2. LACHS, J. (2005). Stoic Pragmatism. The Journal of Speculative Philosophy, 19(2), 95–106. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25670557 Sofia and Cal's presentation |
Thurs. Grp I (A-M) 3 copies |
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| T. Dec. 7 Th. 9 |
James Stockdale Courage Under
Fire |
Reports TUESDAY 1. Nolan, D. (2006). Stoic Gunk. Phronesis, 51(2), 162–183. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4182801 Katherine W Charlie MERRIAM, J. (2011). THE STOICS AND LEGAL CONSERVATIVES: STRANGE BEDFELLOWS OR JUST STRANGE FELLOWS? Law and Philosophy, 30(2), 201–251. http://www.jstor.org/stable/41486980 Julia OTHER POSSIBLE ARTICLES FOR REPORTS: 1. Asmis, E. (2017). THE STOICS ON THE CRAFT OF POETRY. Rheinisches Museum Für Philologie, 160(2), 113–151. http://www.jstor.org/stable/26315516 2. Cochran, E. A. (2010). Virtuous Assent and Christian Faith: Retrieving Stoic Virtue Theory for Christian Ethics. Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics, 30(1), 117–140. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23562865 3. Cochran, E. A. (2011). CONSENT, CONVERSION, AND MORAL FORMATION: Stoic Elements in Jonathan Edwards’s Ethics. The Journal of Religious Ethics, 39(4), 623–650. http://www.jstor.org/stable/41348835 4. THURSDAY |
Thurs. Grp II (N-Z) 3 copies |
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| FINAL EXAM: | |||||