Fall Semester, 2009
Philosophy 280--Ancient and Medieval Philosophy
Tuesdays and Thursdays 2:00-3:15 pm
308 Comer
Professor: Michael Patton, 300B Comer Hall
Phone Numbers: Office: 665-6434 Home: 665-9569
Office Hours
- Course description: Catalog Description: Development of Western philosophy from its beginnings in Greece through the medieval period. Emphasis on the outstanding philosophers of each period.
Early Development of Modern Western Philosophy is a course that takes us back to the birthplace of reasoned theoretical thought: Pre-Socratic Greece and traces the underpinnings of all Western Culture from that time until the eve of the Modern era at the end of the Medieval era. We will survey and study a variety of important thinkers, starting with theories so bare they can be summed up in three words (All is water) and moving up to theories complicated enough to spawn contemporary philosophical and theological debate.
The successful student will engage the material in such a way as to deepen analytical and critical skills and will come to have a deeper understanding of how human beings attempt to understand the world. Additionally, the student's rhetorical skills will be enhanced, and an understanding of the unique role of philosophy in intellectual life will be fostered.
The dates and assignments contained in this syllabus are presented as a guide only. Actual dates and assignments may vary due to unforeseen occurrences.