This is our catalog of courses. We will occasionally adjust the course listing to reflect the addition of new courses and the retirement of others.
In addition to being one of the greatest philosophers, Aristotle laid the foundation for most of modern science. Whether you are STEM or Liberal Arts minded, join this course to learn the basics of Aristotle’s ethics and philosophy of nature.
Total classes: 12
Duration per class: 55 minutes
Prerequisite: None
Suggested Grade Level: 9th to 12th grade
Suggested Credit: One full semester Philosophy or Greek Philosophy
Description
Aristotle is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest thinkers ever to live, and his philosophy has left an indelible mark upon the development of Western Civilization. So towering was his stature that St. Thomas Aquinas called him simply “The Philosopher”. In this course, we will introduce some of the key elements of Aristotle’s philosophy. We will study his theory of nature, including the notion of act and potency and the doctrine of the four causes. We will see how Aristotle’s understanding of nature plays into his theory of ethics, including his understanding of duty, virtue, and happiness.
Outline
- Introduction, Aristotle the Philosopher chapter 1 “Introduction”
- Aristotle: Metaphysics; Aristotle the Philosopher chapter 2 “Aristotle at Work”
- Aristotle: Metaphysics; Act and Potency, Aristotle the Philosopher chapter 3 “The Analysis of Change”
- Aristotle: Metaphysics; Hylemorphism, Aristotle the Philosopher chapter 3 “The Analysis of Change”
- Aristotle: Metaphysics; Four Causes, Aristotle the Philosopher chapter 4 “Explanation in Natural Science”
- Aristotle: Posterior Analytics; Scientific Demonstration, Aristotle the Philosopher chapter 4 “Explanation in Natural Science”
- Aristotle: De Anima; Knowledge and Sensation, Aristotle the Philosopher chapter 5 “The Philosophy of Mind”
- Aristotle: De Anima; The nature of the Soul, Aristotle the Philosopher chapter 5 “The Philosophy of Mind”
- Aristotle: Ethics; Habits and Virtues, Aristotle the Philosopher chapter 8 “Ethics”
- Aristotle: Ethics; The Golden Mean, Aristotle the Philosopher chapter 8 “Ethics”
- Aristotle: Ethics, Virtues and Happiness, Aristotle the Philosopher chapter 8 “Ethics”
- Review & Conclusion, preparation for the Final
Materials and Homework
Course Materials: Any editions accepted. Many of these works are available online free
All primary source readings from Aristotle will be made available from free online resources.
Our secondary textbook will be J.L Ackrill “Aristotle The Philosopher,” any edition.
Homework: Homework will involve daily reading assignments from primary and secondary texts. These texts are short but dense and will require the student to read slowly and, in some cases, to go back and re-read. Expect to spend no less than an hour and a half per class reading. There will be three automated quizzes, one mid-term, and one final exam.
