Professor S. Rodde
roddesw@yorku.ca

Times and locations: This course depends on remote teaching and learning. There will be no in-person interactions or activities on campus. The online lectures will be delivered live (synchronously) on Mondays and Wednesdays 11:30-12:30, and a recording of the lectures will be posted on moodle for students who are unavailable during class time.

Virtual office hours: Virtual office hours will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays at around 5:00 using Zoom. I will also be available immediately following the lectures on Mondays and Wednesdays

This course is an introduction to the thought of Plato (427-348 BCE) and Aristotle (384-322 BCE), two of the most brilliant and influential thinkers in the history of western philosophy. We will read a number of Plato’s dialogues, along with selections from the works of Aristotle. Our goal is to understand their views on a range of topics, including the nature of the soul and its relation to the body, the acquisition of knowledge and wisdom, causation and explanation, and the good life for human beings. We will also try to achieve a broader understanding of Greek philosophy by relating Plato’s and Aristotle’s views to those of their predecessors and, if time permits, to their successors. No prior knowledge of the ancient Greek philosophy is required.

Technical requirements for taking the course: This course will be delivered fully online. You will need a stable internet connection to access the lectures, participate in online discussions and upload your work. You will also need a computer with a microphone. A webcam is desirable but not required.

Here are some useful links for student computing information, resources and help:

Student Guide to Moodle

Zoom@YorkU Best Practices 

Zoom@YorkU User Reference Guide

Computing for Students Website

Student Guide to eLearning at York University

To determine Internet connection and speed, there are online tests, such as Speedtest, that can be run.]

Plato. Plato Reader: Eight Essential Dialogues. Edit. by G.M.A. Grube. Indianapolis:

Hackett Publishing Company, 2012.

Aristotle. Aristotle: Selections. Trans. by Terence Irwin and Gail Fine. Indianapolis:

Hackett Publishing Company, 1995.

Additional readings will be made available online.

Note: Some translations are better than others. These texts have very good translations, and I strongly recommend that you use them. If you would like to use a different text, please talk to me first.

Reflective Summary (1). . . . .25% (Due before material is covered in lecture)

Online Commentaries (10) . . 10% (Due before material covered in lecture)

Essay (1). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35%

Interactive Assignment. . . . . .10%

Final Exam. . . .  . . . . . . . . . . .20%

This course has both synchronous (live) and asynchronous elements. Most of the coursework can be completed on your own time. However, there will be an online  final exam in December that must be written at a time scheduled by the Registrar’s Office. There will also be an interactive component to the course which can be completed synchronously or asynchronously

Students are strongly encouraged to watch and participate in the lectures synchronously (live) as it allows students to ask questions while the material is being covered. However, students are only required to participate synchronously for the final exam.

By the end of this course you will have read selections from the works of a number of philosophers and you should have a basic familiarity with their views. In addition, you should have developed your ability to:

• Read and understand difficult and challenging texts
• Critically assess the strengths and weaknesses of arguments
• Appreciate unfamiliar ideas and points of view
• Write clearly, concisely and effectively in support of your claims

• At the end of the course you will have the opportunity to complete a course evaluation. These evaluations are taken seriously. They enable us to improve the course design, and they figure prominently in the evaluation of instructors.
• A late penalty of 2%/day will be given for late assignments or essays.
• The online commentaries must be submitted before the start of lecture. The reflective summaries must be submitted before the material has been covered in class.
• Students may not duplicate, copy and/or distribute recordings of the lectures without the instructor’s permission. These recordings are protected by copyright laws, and the university may take disciplinary or legal action against students who violate copyright.