Courses / Module

This module provides an introduction to the writings of the Greek philosophers Plato and Aristotle. After an exploration of broad general themes in Platonic philosophy, the first part of the module concentrates mainly on Plato’s most famous dialogue, the Republic. This dialogue is ostensibly concerned with the search for a definition of justice/morality, but soon, with Socrates as our guide, Plato turns this into an examination of the nature of the ideal state. The ideas considered in the early Platonic dialogues are seen to recur in the Republic, and the module demonstrates the essential interconnectedness of the principal themes of Plato’s philosophy. The second part of the module concerns itself with the philosophy of Aristotle. The main work examined is Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, arguably the most important work on ethics written in antiquity. Aristotle is chiefly concerned with identifying the ‘good’ for human beings. But unlike Plato, who sought human fulfilment on a higher metaphysical level Aristotle investigates the activities of ordinary living at ground level so to speak. He outlines the kinds of behaviour we ought to engage in, and identifies some of the requirements for a happy life: health, good fortune, and friendship. The module seeks to elucidate the immediate political and social context of Aristotle’s ideas and to examine the way(s) in which he thought we might achieve happiness in a strong contrast with Plato.