Aims

This module aims to introduce students to the key ideas, themes, and thinkers of ancient Greek and Roman philosophy. Throughout the module students will address questions about life from both ancient and modern perspectives and will be equipped with the socio-cultural background necessary to contextualise the debates. Students will be encouraged to read and engage with the arguments through a selection of primary philosophical works in translation as well as key secondary literature. The module also aims to develop skills in critical reading, discussion and debate, and in the construction and evaluation of arguments.

Outline Of Syllabus

What is happiness? How do I live a 'good' life? What is a soul? Will wrongdoers be eternally punished in the depths of Hades? What is the universe made from? ....And what exactly is a philosopher, anyway?

This course introduces students to the exciting and influential world of ancient philosophy. Across the semester we will read selections from key works of Greek and Roman thinkers, exploring and debating a variety questions across ethics, cosmology, epistemology and more.


All works will be studied in translation: there is no expectation or requirement to know any ancient languages.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Lectures are used to introduce students to a wide range of authors, texts, and core philosophical ideas. The content will be supported by relevant contextual and historical information where necessary. They also introduce methods of interpretation and analysis. Elements of group-work and student-teacher interaction will reinforce the delivered material.

Seminars are student-led: these small-group sessions involve discussion and debate on a specific topic, with pre-circulated questions to prepare in advance. Seminars provide the opportunity for students to explore the material for themselves, drawing on weekly lectures, and to enter into a dialogue with each other on the multifaceted nature of meaning and interpretation.

The drop-in session (last class session of the semester) is designed as an opportunuty to discuss of the final assessment through a sample exam paper that will be precirculated to the students.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The Inspera digital examination assesses students' knowledge of module content in a closed-book format and their ability to answer essay or commentary questions by creatively combining various components of the module, in a control environment and without access to external resources.

The Essay encourages independent research, using lecture and seminar content as a foundation on which to build one’s own critical analysis. It provides an opportunity to test intended skills and learning outcomes at a deeper level of detail and understanding, and allows engagement with the material over a sustained period of time. It is conceived of as a "feed-forward" assessment in line with HCA-wide guidance.