The history of ancient philosophy is conceived in this course as the first school of philosophy. It is in Greek and Hellenistic thought that the philosopher finds, so to speak, the primitive quarry from which most of our concepts were extracted; and it is also there that the trace of the first experience, individual and social, of amazement at the real is preserved. Hence, dealing with the work of those who initiated the tradition of Western thought is a very favorable occasion for the awakening of the philosopher's vocation. This course proposes to ensure that this vocation emerges or is strengthened.
Not applicable.
This subject contributes to the professional profile by guiding the student in the History of the Philosophy of Greece and Rome from a double perspective aimed at knowing the questions and the best way to pose them, and to know the answer essays always linked to their historical conditioning- and discerning what we have inherited from that past that shapes us. It cooperates in its formation through the methodical exercise of reflection and critical questioning of the problems of human existence. It must be borne in mind that a large percentage of the essential concepts of our culture were forged in classical antiquity. This subject, in trying to understand its origin, serves as an essential introduction to the practice of philosophy in general and provides the ideal basis for understanding many of the great questions of today.
Unit 1: Beginnings of Greek thought. Pre-Socratics, Sophists and Socrates
Topic 1.1. Amazement and philosophy. The Greeks and Western Culture. A global orientation on Homer, Hesiod and the religious diversity of the archaic period of Greece.
Topic 1.2. The questions of the first philosophers.
Topic 1.3. Pythagorean thought and its legacy to culture.
Topic 1.4. Heraclitus of Ephesus.
Topic 1.5. Parmenides and the post-paramenidean systems.
Topic 1.6. The Sophists: the craving for culture.
Topic 1.7. Socrates: the invitation to interiority.
Unit 2: Plato and the Horizon of Metaphysics
Topic 2.1. The philosopher in his context.
Topic 2.2. The Meno.
Topic 2.3. To be and to know.
Topic 2.4. The Symposium.
Unit 3: Plato: Man and Society
Topic 3.1 Conception of man. The Phaedo.
Topic 3.2. The cosmology of the Timaeus.
Topic 3.3 The ideal State and its historical forms. La República.
Unit 4: Aristotle and the first systematization of knowledge
Topic 4.1. Aristotle in his context.
Topic 4.2. Theory of science.
Topic 4.3. The First Philosophy.
Topic 4.4. Physics as a philosophy of the natural entity
Topic 4.5 God.
UNIT 5: Aristotle: Man and Society
Topic 5.1. Psychology
Topic 5.2. Practical Life: Ethics and Politics
UNIT 6: Hellenistic Philosophy
Topic 6.1. The State of Philosophy After Aristotle's Death
Topic 6.2. Epicureanism
Topic 6.3. The Roman Version of Hellenistic Philosophy: Stoicism and Seneca
Topic 6.4. The Confluence of Biblical Thought and Hellenism
Topic 6.5. Neoplatonism: Plotinus and the End of Ancient Philosophy
The subject has a weekly operation of 4 teaching hours.
The methodology of the subject will use the following strategies:
- Expository method: Presentation of the theoretical content.
- Analysis of texts and documents: Personal reading of the materials that include the main contents of the subject. Individual preparation and sharing, in group sessions (face-to-face or virtual).
- Oral presentation method: Presentations and presentations by students.
- Method of written presentation: Response by the student and delivery of the questionnaires of the thematic units.
The final course grade will be calculated based on the marks obtained in the various assessment activities. The course will be considered passed if the student not only achieves an average of 5 or higher across these activities but has also completed all of them.
• Attendance and participation (15%).
• In-class written exercises (20%).
• Quiz and text commentary (25%).
• Final exam (40%).
The final course grade will be calculated based on the marks obtained in the various assessment activities. The course will be considered passed if the student not only achieves an average of 5 or higher across these activities but has also completed all of them.
• Attendance and participation (15%). Student participation and competent performance. Assessment of oral expression and the ability to communicate using appropriate terminology. Oral presentation of an analysis regarding a text or author. The professor will monitor attendance. Each student is allowed a margin of four unjustified absences. As long as this number is not exceeded, the student remains eligible for 100% of the grade in this category, subject to the factors described above. A fifth unjustified absence will result in a maximum score of 5/10 for this category. From the sixth absence onwards, the student will receive a 0/10 in this category and, consequently, the maximum possible final course grade will be 8.5. A student who attends no sessions will receive a "Not Presented" (NP) mark for this category, resulting in an NP status for the ordinary exam session. The maximum grade a student can obtain upon retaking this component is 5/10.
• In-class written exercises (20%). Understanding and explanation of fundamental texts from the Greek and Roman philosophical tradition. Demonstration of reasoning and argumentation skills to address philosophical issues. Production of work with correct written expression. Ability to relate different philosophical schools of thought and authors to their predecessors, followers, or subsequent movements. Capacity for analysis and coherent development of the main ideas within a text, topic, or author's work. Analytical and synthetic ability regarding a key text or significant topic related to the course content, as agreed upon by the student and the professor. Ability to adopt a personal and critical point of view. • Questionnaire and text commentary (25%). Accurately defines concepts and relates them to the history of subsequent thought. Develops and applies reasoning and argumentation skills to the topics studied. Demonstrates the ability to formulate questions based on the texts that connect to other course content.
• Final exam (40%). Demonstrates knowledge of major philosophical theories from the ancient world. Understands the development of philosophy and employs basic philosophical terminology. Understands and recognizes the main schools of ancient philosophy. Places key ideas of ancient philosophy—as well as their authors and fundamental texts—within their historical, social, and cultural contexts. Demonstrates good writing skills and clarity of expression. A minimum grade of 3 is required.**
** Students must obtain a minimum grade of 3 on the final written exam. If a student fails to achieve this minimum grade on this specific assessment, the maximum overall grade for the regular exam period will be 4, even if the weighted average of all assessment activities is higher.
- Abbagnano, Nicola, Historia de la filosofía (traducción de Juan Estelrich y J. Pérez Ballester), vol. I, Barcelona, Hora, 1985.
- Geymonat, Ludovico, Historia de la filosofía y de la ciencia. 1. Antigüedad y Edad media (traducción de Joaquim Sempere), Barcelona, Crítica, 1985.
- Hadot, Pierre, ¿Qué es la filosofía antigua?, Méjico, Fondo de cultura económica, 1998.
- Hartnack, Justus, History of Philosophy, Odense, Odense University Press, New York, Humanities Press, 1973 (ed. española Breve historia de la filosofía, traducción de José Antonio Lorente, Madrid, Cátedra, 1996).
- Reale, Giovanni - Antiseri, Dario, Historia del pensamiento filosófico y científico (traducción de Juan Andrés Iglesias), vol. I, Barcelona, Herder, 1991
- Severino, Emanuele, La filosofía antigua (traducción de Juana Bignozzi), Barcelona, Ariel, 1986.
- Diels, Hermann - Kranz, Walther, Die Fragmente der Vorsokratiker, Hildesheim, Georg Olms
- Verlag, 1951-1952 (reimpr. 2004-2005). Kirk, Geoffrey Stephen – Raven, John Earle - Schofield, Malcolm, Los filósofos presocráticos, Madrid, Gredos, 2008
- Boisacq, Émile, Dictionaire étymologique de la langue greque, Heidelberg - París, Carl Winter - Librairie C. Klincksieck, 1916. Graves, Robert, Los mitos griegos, Madrid, Alianza, 1995, 2 vols.
- Pokorny, Julius, Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, I-III, Tubinga- Berna-Munich, Francke, 1957/1969 (1a ed.), 2005 (5a ed.). Nauck, August (ed.), Tragicorum graecorum fragmenta, Lipsia, Teubner, 18892.
- Reale, Giovanni, Platón. En búsqueda de la sabiduría secreta (traducción de Roberto Heraldo Bernet), Barcelona, Herder, 2014
- Real, Giovanni, Introducción a Aristóteles (traducción de Víctor Bazterrica), Barcelona, Herder, 2003.