THE PRE- AND POST-SOCRATIC THINKERS

This course will present detailed analyses of several Pre- and Post-Socratic thinkers. Among the Pre-Socratic philosophers, Parmenides and Heraclitus will be considered. Zeno of Citium (Stoicism) and Epicurus (Epicureanism) will be offered as examples of Post-Socratic speculation. Specifically, these two lectures will trace the “scientific” nature of early Greek philosophy up until the humanistic innovations of Socrates in the late 5th century B.C. In addition, the spiritual, moral, and political legacies of Stoicism and Epicureanism will be presented in detail, including key concepts such as cosmopolis, adiaphora, apatheia, ataraxia, and orthos logos.