Fall 2019 Schedule

All dates given below are subject to change.

Important Dates

31 October Commentary 1 Posted
28 November Commentary 1 Due
5 December Commentary 2 Posted
2 January Commentary 2/Final Paper Due

Schedule of Topics & Readings

LS = Long and Sedley (eds.), The Hellenistic Philosophers,

Ac. = Brittain (ed.), Cicero: On Academic Scepticism,

* = may be selected for presentation.

Unit 0 Introduction
17 Sept. 0.1 Syllabus and Course Basics
24–26 Sept. 0.2 The “Problem of the Criterion”
Chisholm, “The Problem of the Criterion”*
Striker, “The Problem of the Criterion”*
Unit 1 Hellenistic Epistemology in Context
1–3 Oct. 1.1 Democritus, Protagoras, et al.: Proto-Skeptics?
Protagoras, Fragments from On Truth
Democritus, Selected Fragments
Lee, “Antecedents in early Greek Philosophy”*
8–10 Oct. 1.2 Early Challenges: Pyrrho & the Cyreniacs
Early Pyrrhonism (LS 1)
Brunschwig, “The Beginnings of Hellenistic Epistemology”*
15, 22 Oct. 1.3 Epicurean Epistemology
Epicurus on the Criterion (LS 16–17)
Everson, “Epicurus on the Truth of the Senses”*
Unit 2 The Stoa & the Academy
24, 31 Oct. 2.1 Introducing the Dispute: Stoic Epistemology
The Criterion in Stoic Psychology (LS 53, 39–40)
Frede, “Stoic Epistemology”*
5–7 Nov. 2.2 Introducing the Dispute: the Epistemology of the “New Academy”
Cicero, Ac. 2.1–10
Vogt, “Ancient Skepticism”, sect. 3
Schofield, “Academic Epistemology”*
12–14 Nov. 2.3 Stoicism in the New Academy?
Cicero, Ac. 2.11–62
Striker, “Academics Fighting Academics”*
19–21 Nov. 2.4 The Academic Case for Skepticism: Cicero’s Reply
Cicero, Ac. 2.63–98
Striker, “Sceptical Strategies”*
26–28 Nov. 2.5 Cicero in Defense of the Academic Criterion
Cicero, Ac. 2.98–148
Görler, “Cicero’s Philosophical Stance in the Lucullus"*
Unit 3 Rethinking the Measure Doctrine
3–5 Dec. 3.1 The Measure Doctrine in Plato
Plato, Selections from Theaetetus
Zilioli, “Protagoras Through Plato and Aristotle”*
10–12 Dec. 3.2 Aristotle’s Reception of Protagoras
Aristotle, Selections from Metaphysics Γ, Ι
McCready-Flora, “Protagoras and Plato in Aristotle”*
17–19 Dec. 3.3 The Measure Doctrine in Aristotle
Aristotle, Selections from De Anima
Aristotle, Selections from Nicomachean Ethics
Howton, “Aristotle on Why the Senses Discriminate”*