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

Ancient Philosophy: Aristotle and His Successors

Taught in English

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68,410 already enrolled

Course

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals

Susan Sauvé Meyer

Instructor: Susan Sauvé Meyer

4.8

(705 reviews)

15 hours to complete
3 weeks at 5 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

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11 quizzes

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There are 5 modules in this course

Aristotle’s anti-Platonic metaphysics: the ultimate realities are ordinary objects of our experience, like people and animals. Each of these is a substances, the most fundamental type of being.

What's included

6 videos1 reading2 quizzes1 discussion prompt

Natural substances have matter and form, and natural processes are goal-directed. Every living thing, plants and animals included, has a soul that moves it.

What's included

6 videos2 readings3 quizzes1 discussion prompt

The motion of the universe is eternal and its cause is an eternal unmoved mover, Aristotle’s god. Our goal in life is to achieve happiness, which comes in two varieties: the human happiness we achieve by exercising the virtues of character, and the godlike happiness we achieve when we grasp eternal truths.

What's included

9 videos2 readings2 quizzes2 discussion prompts

Epicureans return to the atomism of Democritus, and find no purpose in nature. Philosophy is a therapeutic practice that removes fear and anxiety and provides us with the tranquility (ataraxia) of the gods.

What's included

8 videos4 readings2 quizzes2 discussion prompts

A providential god is at work in every detail of the cosmos, where everything happens by fate. Our goal in life is to accommodate ourselves to this divine nature by giving up our concern for (but not our pursuit of) worldly objectives.

What's included

9 videos4 readings2 quizzes1 peer review2 discussion prompts

Instructor

Instructor ratings
4.9 (95 ratings)
Susan Sauvé Meyer
University of Pennsylvania
2 Courses144,040 learners

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