Voices of Ancient Philosophy

Description

Edited by one of the most renowned scholars in the field, Voices of Ancient Philosophy: An Introductory Reader is a unique and accessible introduction to the richness of ancient philosophy. Featuring a topical--as opposed to chronological--organization, this text introduces students to the wide range of approaches and traditions in ancient philosophy. In each section Annas presents the ancient debates on a particular philosophical topic, drawing on a greater diversity of ancient sources than a chronological approach allows. The book is divided into six sections: Fate and Freedom; Reason and Emotion; Knowledge, Belief, and Skepticism; Metaphysical Questions; How Should You Live?; and Society and the State. Annas includes a generous selection of the works of Plato and Aristotle, as well as those of the Stoics, Epicureans, and Skeptics. She also includes selections from less familiar philosophers and from authors in whose works philosophical issues arise, such as poets, medical writers, historians, and Jewish and Christian writers. The volume features biographical sketches of the philosophers, a timeline, and short discussions of the major movements in ancient philosophy. An excellent text for courses in ancient philosophy and history of philosophy, Voices of Ancient Philosophy: An Introductory Reader will also be of interest to scholars and general readers.

Table of Contents

List of Boxed Material
Preface
Introduction
Chronological Sketch of Ancient Philosophy
Timeline
1. FATE AND FREEDOM
Homer, Iliad 16, 512-548
Lucian, Zeus Answers a Few Awkward Questions
A. PRAISE, BLAME, AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR ACTIONS
Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics III, 5
The Stoics on Fate
Alexander of Aphrodisias, On Fate 22
The Stoics on Moral Responsibility
Cicero, On Fate 40-43
Aulus Gellius, Attic Nights 7.2, 6-13
Alexander of Aphrodisias, On Fate 11-14
Epicurus, On Nature 34, 26-30
Diogenes of Oenoanda, Epicurean Inscription fragment 54, II-III
Lucretius, On the Nature of Things 2, 251-293
B. RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE LIVES WE LEAD
Plato, Republic 10 (the Myth of Er)
Alcinous, Handbook of Platonism 26
C. DIVINE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF THE FUTURE
Alexander of Aphrodisias, On Fate 30-31
Boethius, The Consolation of Philosophy 5
D. IS THE FUTURE FIXED?
Aristotle, On Interpretation
Diodorus Cronus, The Master Argument (Epictetus, Discourses 11.19, 1-5
The Stoics on Possibility and Necessity
Cicero, On Fate 12-15
Alexander of Aphrodisias, On Fate 10
2. REASON AND EMOTION
A. EXPLANATION OF INNER CONFLICT
Plato, Republic 4, 436a-444a
Plato, Republic 9, 588b-590d
Plato, Phaedrus 253d-254e
B. WHAT IS AN EMOTION?
Aristotle, Rhetoric II, part of 1,2,5,8
Aristotle, Niomachean Ethics II, 1, parts of 2 and 3; IV, 5
The Early Stoics on the Emotions
Seneca, On Anger I, 7-9, 12-14, 17-18; II, 1-4, 6-10, 28
C. A TEST CASE
Euripides, Medea 1021-1080
Epictetus, Discourses I, 28,1-9; II, 17, 17-25
Galen, On the Doctrines of Hippocrates and Plato III, 3, 13-24
D. REASON, THE EMOTIONS, AND FAITH
The Fourth Book of Maccabees selections
3. KNOWLEDGE, BELIEF, AND SKEPTICISM
A. KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE
Plato, Laches 189d-201c
B. KNOWLEDGE AND TRUE BELIEF
Plato, Meno 80a-86d, 96b-99e
Plato, Theaetetus 200d-201c
C. RELATIVISM
Plato, Theaetetus 166e-172b, 177c-179b
D. THE STRUCTURE OF A SYSTEM OF KNOWLEDGE
Plato, Republic 475b-484a, 507b-511e, 514a-518d, 523a-525b, 531c-535a
Aristotle, Posterior Analytics I, 1-3; II, 19
Aristotle, Metaphysics I, 1-3; II, 1
Aristotle, Parts of Animals I, 5
E. KNOWLEDGE FROM EXPERIENCE
Epicurus on Knowledge
The Stoics on Knowledge
F. SKEPTICISM
Plato, Theaetetus 148c-151d
Sextus Empiricus, Outlines of Pyrrhonism I, 1-30, 100-117;III, 1-12
4. METAPHYSICAL QUESTIONS
A. REALITY AND PARADOX
Parmenides, The Way of Truth fragments 1-8
Zeno of Elea, Arguments against Motion
B. PLATO'S FORMS: FOR AND AGAINST
Plato, Phaedo 73c-76e
Plato, Phaedo 78c-79a
Plato, Symposium 209e-212a
Plato, Republic 596a-597e
Plato, Parmenides 128e-135c
Diogenes of Sinope, Lives of the Philosophers VI, 53
The Stoics on Plato's Forms
Aristotle, On Forms
C. CAUSE AND EXPLANATION
Hippocratic Writings, The Sacred Disease selections
Plato, Phaedo 96a-101e
Aristotle, On Coming-to-Be and Passing-Away II, 9
Aristotle, Physics II, 3, 7-9
Plutarch, Life of Pericles 6
The Epicureans against Teleology
D. TIME
Aristotle, Physics IV, 10-11, 14
The Stoics on Time
Augustine, Confessions XI, selections
5. HOW SHOULD YOU LIVE?
A. THE STARTING POINT FOR ETHICAL REFLECTION
Aristotle, Rhetoric I, 5 (extract)
Herodotus, Histories I, 29-34
B. THE FIRST THEORIES: VIRTUE AND HAPPINESS
Democritus, Fragments on Ethics
Plato, Gorgias, 468e-479e
C. THE MAJOR THEORIES
Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics I, 1,2,4,5,7-10
The Stoics
Cicero, On Final Ends III, 16-17, 20-26, 32-39, 42-71
The Epicureans
Epicurus, Letter to Menoeceus 121-135
Cicero, On Final Ends I, 29-33, 37-70
D. DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS
Plato, Theaetetus, 172b-177c
The Gospel of Matthew 5, 2-20
Plotinus, Enneads I, 4
6. SOCIETY AND THE STATE
A. IS NATURE OR CONVENTION THE BASIS OF SOCIETY AND THE STATE?
Plato, Protagoras 320c-323c
Antiphon the Sophist, Fragment 7
Plato, Gorgias 482e-484c
Plato, Crito 50a-54e
Plato, Repubic 358c-360d
Aristotle, Politics I, 2
Aristotle, Politics III, 9
Epicureans
Epicurus, Principal Doctrines 31-38
Diogenes of Oenoanda, Epicurean Inscription fragment 56
Cicero, On Duties III, 37-39
Stoicism
Cicero, On Laws I, 17-35, 42-45
B. POLITICAL RULE: EXPERTISE AND THE RULE OF LAW
Twofold Arguments 7
Plato0 Republic 488a-489c
Plato, Statesman 291d-303b
Aristotle, Politics I, 1; III, 4,11
C. DEMOCRACY AND THE BEST FORM OF GOVERNMENT
Herodotus, Histories III, 80-83
The Old Oligarch
Aristotle, Politics IV, 3,4,7-9.11
Polybius, Histories, VI, 2
Further Reading