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.
Philosophy is a vital subject for Catholic students. In this course, we will explore some of the prominent moral theories of antiquity, as expressed in the writings of Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, and Epictetus. Sound too lofty? Well, it isn’t — Professor Nicholson will take you through the subject step by step and help you grow in love for philosophy and see how it fits into your life today.
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
Philosophy is a vital subject for Catholic students. In this course, we will explore some of the prominent moral theories of antiquity, as expressed in the writings of Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, and Epictetus. Sound too lofty? Well, it isn’t — Professor Nicholson will take you through the subject step by step and help you grow in love for philosophy and see how it fits into your life today.
Together, we will examine the ways in which some of these moral theories anticipated an understanding of morality and virtue that were incorporated into the early Church. We will also explore ways in which Christian teaching would eventually correct, perfect, and incorporate elements of these theories into its account of the moral life as articulated by St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas.
Outline
Class 1-2: Plato: Euthyphro
Class 3-4: Plato: Protagoras, Phaedo (excerpts)
Class 5-7: Aristotle: Nicomachean Ethics
Class 8: Epicurus: Basic Writings
Class 9-10: Epictetus: Enchiridion
Class 11-12: St. Thomas Aquinas: On Virtue
Materials and Homework
Course Materials: It is recommended that you purchase the relatively inexpensive Hackett editions of the following books:
Plato: Five Dialogs
Aristotle: Nicomachean Ethics,
Epictetus: Enchiridion,
Others will be made available free online; in fact every text that is available online free of charge will be posted on moodle.
Homework: Weekly readings, and bi-weekly homework exercises. There will be quizzes every three weeks, a final examination, and an optional paper assignment. Expect to do between one to two hours of reading per class session.
