Plato’s Philosophy of Mind: Classical Greek Psychology and Eschatology

Timetable

Module aim (aims)

- to learn about the ancient origins of the modern understanding of the mind and soul

- to learn about Plato’s philosophy of mind in its historical context

- to understand the relation between Plato’s psychology and eschatology

- to acquire the ability to read and understand the psychological and eschatological parts of Plato's dialogues

Pre-requisites in terms of knowledge, skills and social competences (where relevant)

Advanced English. Knowledge of Ancient Greek is welcome but not required.

Syllabus

1. Plato’s psychology: the historical and philosophical context
2. The doctrine of the mind in the “Phaedo”
3. The immortality of the soul in the “Phaedo”
4. The soul in the “Gorgias”
5. The concept of the mind in the “Phaedrus”
6. The immortality of the soul in the “Phaedrus”
7. The doctrine of the mind in the “Republic”
8. The immortality of the soul “Republic”, Part 1
9. The immortality of the soul “Republic”, Part 2
10. Modern interpretations of the myth of Er
11. The cosmic soul in the “Timaeus”, Part 1
12. The cosmic soul in the “Timaeus”, Part 2
13. Geometry, astronomy, and the soul in the “Timaeus”
14. The human soul in the “Timaeus”
15. Final test

Reading list

Cooper, J.M., Hutchinson, D.S. (eds.), Plato: Complete Works, 1997.

Robinson, T. M., Plato’s Psychology, 1970.

Fine, G. (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Plato, 2^nd ed. 2019.

Cornford, F.M., Plato’s Cosmology: The Timaeus of Plato 1935 (1997).