Contact information:

Professor James E. Mahon

210 Baker Hall

540 458-8051

_{mahonj@wlu.edu}

Office Hours:

   Tu 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.,

Wed 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.,

and by appointment.

Required Texts

• "R": Readings in Ancient Greek Philosophy: From Thales to Aristotle, eds. S. Marc Cohen, Patricia Curd and C. D. C. Reeve (3rd ed., Indianapolis: Hackett, 2005)

• "TE": The Trial and Execution of Socrates: Sources and Controversies eds. Thomas C. Brickhouse and Nicholas D. Smith (Oxford: OUP, 2002)

• "AE": Aristotle’s Ethics, J. O. Urmson (Oxford: Blackwell, 1988)

Supplementary Articles on Reserve in Library (may be assigned or recommended for papers)
 

•  Gregory Vlastos, 'Socrates and Vietnam', in Socratic Studies, ed. Myles Burnyeat (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994), p. 127-133.

•  C. C. W. Taylor, 'Plato's Totalitarianism', [1986] reprinted in Plato 2: Ethics, Politics, Religion and the Soul, ed. Gail Fine (Oxford: Oxford University  Press, 1999), p. 280-296.

•  Richard Kraut, ‘The Defense of Justice in Plato’s Republic’ [1992], reprinted in Plato’s Republic: Critical Essays, ed. Richard Kraut (Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 1999), p. 197-222.

•  Rosalind Hursthouse, 'A False Doctrine of the Mean’ [1980/1981], reprinted in Aristotle's Ethics: Critical Essays, ed. Nancy Sherman (Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 1999), p. 105-120.

• John M. Cooper, 'Friendship and the Good in Aristotle' [1977], p. 290-315, reprinted in Aristotle's Ethics: Critical Essays, p. 277-300.
 

Supplementary Books on Reserve in Library

• Early Greek Philosophy, trans. and ed. Jonathan Barnes (Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1987).

• Socrates against Athens, James A. Colaiaco (New York: Routledge, 2001).

• Socratic Studies, ed. Myles Burnyeat (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994).

• Plato 2: Ethics, Politics, Religion and the Soul, ed. Gail Fine (Oxford: Oxford University  Press, 1999).

• Plato’s Republic: Critical Essays, ed. Richard Kraut (Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 1999).

• Aristotle's Ethics: Critical Essays, ed. Nancy Sherman (Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 1999).

An examination of the ethics and political philosophy of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, as well as the metaphysics of the Pre-Socratic philosophers. Topics include the origin and nature of the kosmos (ordered universe), the nature and existence of the god(s), the polis (city-state) of Athens and the trial of Socrates, the nature of hosion (piety) and of arete (virtue), civil obedience and conscientious objection, the nature of dikaiosune (justice) and of the ideal state, the nature of eudaimonia (happiness, flourishing), and the possibility of akrasia (weakness of the will).

Course Learning Objectives

• Students will learn to identify arguments embedded in philosophical texts, to identify substantive premises, inferences and conclusions.

• Students will learn to distinguish between valid and invalid arguments, and between sound and unsound arguments.

• Students will learn to distinguish between normative claims and descriptive claims, and will learn to distinguish between different kinds of normative claims (moral, legal, prudential, aesthetic, etc.)

• Students will learn to understand and apply certain important concepts in metaphysics, philosophical theology, ethics, and political philosophy.

• Students will learn how to write clearly and precisely, how to present arguments in a paper, and how to support their arguments with relevant textual evidence.

• Students will learn how to engage in rigorous, but respectful, philosophical debate.

• Students will develop a critical understanding of the origin of Western philosophy in Ancient Greece, and become familiar with the era's most important philosophers.

Students are required to attend all classes on time and attendance will be taken. If for any reason you believe that you will be unable to attend a class, or if for any reason you miss a class, notify me in order to determine if work needs to be done to make up for missing the class. Failure to do this may result in a failing grade for Participation, and may also result in a failing grade overall.

Material to be read for the subsequent class will be assigned in the previous class. The assigned reading will follow the Class Schedule (see below). Students are required to do all of the assigned reading before class. A prepared student will not only have read the material assigned but will have reflected upon the claims and arguments made therein. Students should plan on making notes while reading the material, since it may be difficult and may require more than one reading.

Students will be called upon to answer questions on the day's reading, and will be expected to spontaneously contribute to the class discussions. Students are to respect classmates and me by raising their hand when they wish to ask a question or reply to a question asked (as opposed to simply interrupting other students or me). Students are also expected to listen to their classmates and the professor carefully and respectfully. (Remember that the contributions of fellow classmates form part of their grade.) [This entails, of course, NOT web-surfing, e-mailing, texting, etc., during class. Duh.] As far as possible, students should be clear, concise, relevant, and incisive in their contributions.

Students may also discuss the readings, assignments, and paper topics with me outside of class by e-mailing me or by meeting with me during office hours or by scheduling a meeting. All participation in class discussion and outside-of-class discussion counts towards the Participation grade.

In order to help students develop their critical reading skills, and as a way of focusing class discussion, students will be asked to write short (half-page/page) assignments, normally one each week, excluding weeks in which a paper is due. The assignment will take the form of an answer to a question about the reading. These assignments will be awarded an individual grade. At the end of the course an overall Assignment grade will be awarded.

This course aims to teach students how to write a philosophy paper if they have not already learned how to do so. Before the first paper, students will be given instructions on how to write a philosophy paper. They will also be required to read the Guide to Writing a Philosophy Paper. All students are encouraged to schedule a meeting with me about their papers, and especially those who have not written a philosophy paper before and/or who have not written one for me before.

Students will have to write THREE six-page papers for this course. Papers must be typed (double-spaced) and stapled. More guidelines (about the correct citing of sources, and so forth) will be given when the first paper is assigned, and will follow the guidelines of the Guide to Writing a Philosophy Paper. Note that everything in the Guide is to be understood as a supplement to the Honor System guidelines that apply perforce to the writing of papers.

The due dates for the papers are given in the Class Schedule (see below). Papers will be assigned at least one week before the due date. Each paper will be awarded an individual grade. At the end of the course an overall Paper grade will be awarded.

Papers that are turned in late, without prior permission from me, will be penalized, beginning with a loss of a 1/3 of a grade per day (e.g., from B to B–).

Academic Integrity

All work submitted for credit for this course should be your own work. If you use other sources (e.g., books/journal articles, online resources, other students), then you must give full and accurate credit to those sources. Deliberate concealment of sources constitutes plagiarism and will result in a failing grade for the course and being reported to the EC. Cite and credit everything, quite simply, except your own class notes. Please familiarize yourself Washington and Lee’s policy on plagiarism at:

http://library.wlu.edu/research/ref/cite_plag.asp

All work is to be pledged.

Examination

There will be ONE Final Examination in this course during the examination week at the end of the course. The three-hour examination will range over all material covered in the course. More details about the examination will be given closer to the examination week.

BREAKDOWN OF COURSE GRADE

Paper Grade                                       60 %

Examination Grade                             30 %

Class Assignment Grade                       5 %

Participation Grade                               5 %

CLASS SCHEDULE

SEPTEMBER

10  The Pre-Socratics: The Milesians, R*, p. 1-14

15  Pythagoras, Xenophanes, Heraclitus, Parmenides, Democritus R, p. 15-71

17  Socrates: Euthyphro, Piety and the Gods, R, p. 97-114; TE*, p. 24-41

22  Socrates: Apology: The Oracle and Athens, R, p. 115-140; TE 42-65; TE, 18-23 (Clouds)

24 Socrates: Apology: Private Life vs. Public Life; TE, 81-7 (Xenophon); 108-11 (Diogenes Laertius)

29  Socrates: Guilty or Innocent? TE, 133-145 (Burnyeat); 190-223 (Brickhouse and Smith)

OCTOBER

1 Socrates: Crito: Revolution in Ethics: R, p. 141-153; TE, 65-77

6 Socrates: Crito vs. Apology: Contract with Athens: TE, 224-234 (Kraut); 235-259 Brickhouse and Smith)

8 Socrates: Phaedo: The Death of Socrates: R, p. 229-281; TE, 78-80

1st Paper Due

13 Socrates: Gorgias: Better to suffer injustice: R, p. 181-202

15 [ No Class – Reading Day ]

20  Plato: Republic Bk. I: What is Justice?, R, p. 331-359

22  Plato: Republic Bks. II: What is Justice?, R, p. 360-385

27  Plato: Republic Bks. III & IV: The Soul and the State, R, p. 386-444

29  Plato: Republic Bks. V & VI: The Philosopher Kings and Queens, R, p. 445-503

NOVEMBER

3  Plato: Republic Bks. VII & VIII: Injustice and the Tyrant, R, p. 504-555

5  Plato: Republic Bk. IX: Justice and Happiness, R, p. 556-577                         

10  Plato: Republic Bk. X: Art and Philosophy, R, p. 578-603                             

12  Aristotle: Nicomachean Ethics Bk. I: Eudaimonia, R, p. 645-654, p. 832-845, AE*, p. 1-32 

2nd Paper Due

17  Aristotle: Nicomachean Ethics Bk. II: Ethical Virtues & the Mean, R, p. 845-852, AE, p. 33-53

19  Aristotle: Nicomachean Ethics Bk. III: Voluntary and Involuntary Actions, R, p. 852-863, AE, p. 103-122

24-26  [ Thanksgiving Break ]

DECEMBER

1  Nicomachean Ethics Bk. VII: Weakness of Will, R, p. 875-881, AE, p. 123-142

3  Nicomachean Ethics Bks. V-VI: Ethical Virtues & Intellectual Virtues, R, p. 863-875, AE, p. 54-102

8  Aristotle: Nicomachean Ethics Bks. VIII & IX: Friendship, AE, p. 167-187

10  Aristotle: Nicomachean Ethics Bk. X: The Contemplative Life, R, p. 881-891, AE, p. 188-213

14-18   FINAL EXAMINATION 

3rd Paper Due