The Good in Ancient Philosophy
For the ancient Greeks philosophy is a way of life, in which considerations about the good (agathōn) are critical. There is widespread agreement that the good life is not just lived, but lived well. But opinions about how a flourishing or happy life could be achieved differ widely. Is the good just pleasure? Or virtue? Or is it realising one’s potential? Or a harmonious psychic balance? Or living according to nature?
Taking the lead from one core concept, this course is a broad introduction to ancient ethics and moral psychology suited for beginners. The (almost) exclusive focus on goodness allows for unique comparisons over a wide range of different views. By studying an exemplary selection of sources, from early sophists to later sceptics, we explore and think through a range of ancient ways of life; and in discussion, we wonder how this can inform our way of life today.
Resources for this course
| Type | Resource | Description | People | Full details |
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The Good: Noble, Beautiful, and Honorable |
The notes for our first meeting. |
Peter Wyss | |
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The Sophists: Antiphon, Protagoras, Callicles |
The first coursework sheet: leading questions for the readings; general information about coursework. |
Peter Wyss | |
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The Sophists |
Entry by C. C. W. Taylor and M.-K. Lee for the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. |
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Socrates |
The second coursework sheet with questions that relate to the preparatory readings. |
Peter Wyss | |
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Socrates |
Stanford Encyclopedia entry by D. Nails, who addresses the 'Socratic Problem'. |
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Down to Earth with Socrates |
The notes from our third meeting. |
Peter Wyss | |
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Plato and the Early Academy |
The third coursework sheet. |
Peter Wyss | |
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The Sophists: Antiphon and Protagoras |
The notes from our second meeting. |
Peter Wyss | |
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Further Notes on the Protagoras |
An additional sheet with two clarificatory notes, one about the argument against the weakness of the will. |
Peter Wyss | |
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Aristotle |
The fourth coursework sheet: leading questions and some background. |
Peter Wyss | |
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Plato and the Good |
The notes from the fourth meeting. |
Peter Wyss | |
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Ancient Ethical Theory |
R. Parry's brief overviews of the main lines of ethical thought in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. |
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Diogenes the Cynic |
The fifth coursework sheet. |
Peter Wyss | |
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Notes on Aristotle and the Cynics |
Notes from the fifth and sixth meetings. |
Peter Wyss | |
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Epicurus |
D. Konstan's entry in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (2018). Section 4 is on ethics. |
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The Epicureans and the Stoics |
The sixth coursework sheet with leading questions. |
Peter Wyss | |
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The Epicurean Inscription of Oinoanda |
A short film about finding and preserving the inscription funded by Diogenes of Oinonanda. |
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Notes on Epicurus and the Stoics |
A four page sheet: Epicurus on death, and key ideas in Stoic ethics. |
Peter Wyss |