First Semester Draft Syllabus

St. Thomas Becket Academy

Introduction to Philosophy: Draft Generic Reading List

2012-2013 Academic Year

Instructor:  James Ransom

FIRST SEMESTER:  PLATO, ARISTOTLE AND AQUINAS

FALL QUARTER: PRE-SOCRATIC PHILOSOPHERS AND PLATO

WEEK 1	TOPIC	READING (PREPARE BEFORE CLASS)
T	Syllabus and Introduction Thales	“Thales,” in Robin Waterfield, The First Philosophers:  The Pre-Socratics and Sophists, (“Waterfield”) 11-13
Th	Pre-Socratic Philosophy	Jacques Maritain, Introduction to Philosophy (Sheed & Ward) (“Maritain”) 21-33 Waterfield, “Heraclitus of Ephesus” 32-46
WEEK 2
T	Pre-Socratic Philosophy Zeno	Waterfield, “Zeno of Elea,”  69-80
Th	Pre-Socratic Philosophy Parmenides	Waterfield, “Parmenides of Elea,” 49-66
WEEK 3
T	Plato:  Definition of Piety	Euthyphro, in Stephen M. Cahn, Classics of Western Philosophy (“CWP”) 20-25
Th	Plato:  The Charges Against Socrates	Euthyphro, 26-28 Apology, CWP  29-32
WEEK 4
T	Plato:  Immortality of the Soul	Phaedo  CWP 49-54
Th
WEEK 5
T	Plato:  Justice	Republic Book I, CWP 119-124
Th	Plato:  The Just Man.  The Just City.	Republic Book II, CWP 136-140
WEEK 6
T	Plato:  Education of the Guardians	Republic III, CWP 141-143 Republic IV, CWP 151-154
Th	Plato:  The Philosopher King	Republic V-VI,  CWP 154-160
WEEK 7
T	Plato:  Image of the Cave	Republic VII-VIII, CWP 160-164
Th	Plato:  Tyranny	Republic IX CWP 164-168

WEEK 8
T	Epicureanism	Epicurus, Letter to Menoeceus CWP 315-317
Th	Stoicism: Epictetus	Encheiridion CWP 323-326
WEEK 9
T	Scepticism: Sextus Empiricus	CWP 337-341
Th	Neo-Platonism	Plotinus, Enneads CWP 388-391
WEEK 10
T	Review
Th	Final Examination

St. Thomas Becket Academy

Introduction to Philosophy: 2012-2013 Academic Year

Instructor:  James Ransom

FIRST SEMESTER:  PLATO, ARISTOTLE AND AQUINAS

WINTER QUARTER:  ARISTOTLE AND AQUINAS

WEEK 1	TOPIC	READING (PREPARE BEFORE CLASS)
T 11/13	Aristotle: Politics	Politics Book I
Th 11/15	Aristotle:  Politics	Politics Book II
WEEK 2
T  11/20	Aristotle:  Politics	Politics Book III
Th 11/22	NO SCHOOL
WEEK 3
T 11/27	Aristotle:  Politics	Politics Book IV
Th 11/29	Aristotle:  The Soul	De Anima Book I
WEEK 4
T 12/4	Aristotle:  The Soul	De Anima Book II
Th 12/6	Aristotle:  The Soul Introduction to Aquinas	De Anima Book III Peter Kreeft, ed., Summa of the Summa (“ST”) Introduction 11-22 Aquinas’ Prologue 33-34
WEEK 5
T 12/11	Aquinas: Selections from Summa Theologiae	ST I, 1 The Nature and Domain of Sacred Doctrine Articles 1-10 Kreeft 35-50
Th 12/13	Aquinas:  Selections from Summa Theologiae	ST I, 2 Proofs for the Existence of God Kreeft 53-70 Anselm:  Proofs for Existence of God Proslogion (handout)
WEEK 6
T 12/18	Aquinas:  Selections from Summa Theologiae	ST I, 3-26 The Nature of God Kreeft 73-81, 113-122
Th 12/20	Aquinas:  Selections from Summa Theologiae	ST I, 3-26, cont. The Nature of God Kreeft 154-163, 168-179
WEEK 7
T 1/8	Aquinas:  Selections from Summa Theologiae	ST I, 44-49 Cosmology Kreeft 189-218
Th 1/10	Aquinas:  Selections from Summa Theologiae	ST I, 75-78 Anthropology Kreeft 241-267
WEEK 8
T 1/15	Aquinas:  Selections from Summa Theologiae	ST I-II, 18-21 Ethics:  Good and Evil Kreeft 414-432
Th 1/17	Aquinas:  Selections from Summa Theologiae	ST I-II, 71-89 Ethics:  Vices Kreeft 479-500