PHIL 443--Senior Seminar on Aristotle
 
 
SYLLABUS
 
Instructor: Prof. Shane Drefcinski
Office: 339 Gardner Hall
Office Phone: 342-1828
E-Mail: Drefcins@uwplatt.edu
Web Page: http://vms.www.uwplatt.edu/~drefcins/index.html
Office Hours:
MW: 1000-1300
W: 1730-1830
T R: 1300-1400
 
Required Text: Aristotle: Selections, trans. Terence Irwin and Gail Fine, (Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co., 1995).  This book can be purchased at the University Bookstore.
 
Grading: Grades will be based on two take-home exams, a term paper, and class participation.
 
Tentative Schedule of Readings & Assignments
 
September 1                                    Introduction
 
Unit I:  Aristotle’s Logic, Natural Philosophy, and Metaphysics

September 3                                   Plato’s Theory of Forms
                                           Read: Phaedo 64 a-68c, 96 a-102 b, Republic VI, 505 a-511-e.

September 8-10                              Aristotle’s Logic
                                          Read: Categories 1-5, 12-13; Posterior Analytics i, 1-3 (pp. 1-12, 37-45).
 
September 15-17                          Aristotle's Physics
                                          Read: Physics i, 1, 5-6, 7-9; ii, 1-3, 8-9 (pp. 83-105, 114-119).

September 22-29                         Aristotle’s Biology
                                          Read: De Partibus Animalium i, 1; De Anima i, 1, 2; ii, 1-6, 11, 12; iii,1, 2, 3, 4-5, 10-11;
                                          (pp.  206-216; 169-173, 176-205).

October 1-15                           Aristotle’s Metaphysics
                                          Read: Metaphysics i, 1-2; vii; viii 1-3, 6 (pp. 221-227, 272-323).

 Unit II: Aristotle’s Ethical and Political Theory

October 20-22                          Aristotle’s Account of Happiness
                                           Read: Nicomachean Ethics i, 1-10 (pp. 347-363).

First Take-Home Exam Due on October 22

October 27-29                          Aristotle’s Account of Moral Virtue
                                          Read: Nicomachean Ethics i, 13, ii, 1-7 (pp. 363-376).

November 3-5                           Aristotle’s Accounts of Voluntary Action, Bravery and Justice
                                          Read: Nicomachean Ethics iii, 1, 6-7; v, 1-2, 7, 10 (pp. 376-380, 388-398).

   First Draft of Term Paper Due on November 3

November 10-19                      Aristotle’s Account of Practical Wisdom and Incontinence
                                          Read: Nicomachean Ethics vi, 1-3, 5-8, 12-13; iii, 2-4; vii 1-3 (pp. 398-410, 380-385;    411-417).

November 24                             Aristotle’s Account of Happiness, revisited
                                           Read: Nicomachean Ethics x, 6-8 (pp. 438-445).

December 1-3                            Aristotle’s Account of Moral Education, the Human Good and the Political Community
                                           Read: Nicomachean Ethics x, 9; Politics i, 1-6 (pp. 445-460).

   Term Paper Due on December 3

December 8-10                          Aristotle’s Account of the Best State
                                           Read: Politics vii, 1-3, 8-9, 13, 15 (pp. 501-516).

   Second Take-Home Exam Due on December 17