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.
Learn how to think clearly with classical theories of knowledge, the challenge of skepticism, and the relationship between faith and reason — with selections from Plato, Aristotle, Sextus Empiricus, St. Augustine, and St. Thomas Aquinas — and gain a full semester of philosophy credit.
Total classes: 12
Prerequisite: None, other than a desire to learn new and exciting ideas
Suggested grade level: 9th to 12th
Suggested credit: One full semester Philosophy
Description
What can we know and how do we know it? In this course, we will study the theory of knowledge from a philosophical perspective. We will examine classical theories of knowledge, the challenge of skepticism, and the relationship between faith and reason. We will read selections from Plato, Aristotle, Sextus Empiricus, St. Augustine, and St. Thomas Aquinas. In addition to gaining a useful background in epistemology and a familiarity with some of the classics of philosophy, we will also come to see how modern forms of skepticism have, for the most part, already been articulated and dealt with in antiquity.
Outline
Class 1-2: Plato: Meno
Class 3: Plato: Republic (Selections)
Class 4-5: Aristotle: De Anima
Class 6-7: Sextus Empiricus: Selections
Class 8-9: St. Augustine: Against the Academicians
Class 10-11: St. Thomas Aquinas: On Faith and Reason
Class 12: Review
Materials and Homework
Course Materials: All readings will be made available online free of cost. It is still recommended that you purchase the relatively inexpensive Hackett editions of the following books:
Sextus Empiricus: Selections From the Major Writings, Aristotle: Basic Writings,
Plato: Five Dialogs, St. Augustine: Against the Academicians,
St. Thomas Aquinas: On Faith and Reason
Homework: Weekly readings from a course packet, and bi-weekly homework exercises. There will be quizzes every three weeks, a mid-term examination and a final examination. Expect to do between one and two hours of homework per class session. Most of the homework will consist in reading and note taking.
