Back to Ancient Philosophy: Aristotle and His Successors
University of Pennsylvania

Ancient Philosophy: Aristotle and His Successors

What is philosophy? How does it differ from science, religion, and other modes of human discourse? This course traces the origins of philosophy in the Western tradition in the thinkers of Ancient Greece. We begin with the Presocratic natural philosophers who were active in Ionia in the 6th century BCE and are also credited with being the first scientists. Thales, Anaximander, and Anaximines made bold proposals about the ultimate constituents of reality, while Heraclitus insisted that there is an underlying order to the changing world. Parmenides of Elea formulated a powerful objection to all these proposals, while later Greek theorists (such as Anaxagoras and the atomist Democritus) attempted to answer that objection. In fifth-century Athens, Socrates insisted on the importance of the fundamental ethical question—“How shall I live?”—and his pupil, Plato, and Plato’s pupil, Aristotle, developed elaborate philosophical systems to explain the nature of reality, knowledge, and human happiness. After the death of Aristotle, in the Hellenistic period, Epicureans and Stoics developed and transformed that earlier tradition. We will study the major doctrines of all these thinkers. Part I will cover Plato and his predecessors. Part II will cover Aristotle and his successors.

Status: Ancient History
Status: Anthropology
Course15 hours

Featured reviews

SS

5.0Reviewed Oct 31, 2024

I think the content was very good. The teacher absolutely phenomenal. She made the studies so interesting. The lenght of each video was also very good

LG

5.0Reviewed Apr 26, 2019

Excellent course, Pr. Sauvé-Meyer keeps the material very engaging, and makes it very clear and easily accessible. Knowing how difficult the original texts are sometimes, this is very valuable.

VV

5.0Reviewed Jul 27, 2018

Excellent overview of Aristotle, the Epicureans, and Stoics. The ideas were clearly expressed in a way that makes learning easier.

IH

5.0Reviewed May 6, 2018

Loved every minute of it! A big thank you to professor Susan Sauve Meyer - it was beautiful experience, I wish the course would be intimately wider.

ET

5.0Reviewed Feb 19, 2022

The course did not only serve as a refresher course on Aristotle, it actually capacitated me to know more and anew. Thank you for this program.

AT

5.0Reviewed Jan 11, 2021

This is an excellent course. The lecturer presents the material very clearly, carefully bringing out what is at stake in the views and arguments of the Greek thinkers and schools she considers.

MA

5.0Reviewed Nov 27, 2019

I honestly looked forward to this class at the end of each work day. Modest course work and excellent lectures and discussion exercises.

EN

5.0Reviewed Jan 28, 2019

Excellent lectures by Prof Susan Meyer. The only grouse I had was that no-one else seemed actively to be doing the course. And there were no replies by mentors.

DV

5.0Reviewed Aug 19, 2016

Very much enjoyed this course. Some areas were a review but in others I was able to gain a great deal of new insight into the philosophies that were covered. Many Thanks!

JB

5.0Reviewed Oct 3, 2021

I really enjoyed this course and the way it was presented. It was very accessible also to someone who has no philosophical background. A big thank you to the lecturer!!!

SC

4.0Reviewed Dec 6, 2018

I enjoyed the course and treatment by the Professor. I learned a lot about this important period in philosophy. Thank you.

VV

5.0Reviewed Jun 7, 2020

I have learned a lot through this course and Coursera is very high through online education. I would like to say that it has changed the online education system. Thank you.

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