LG
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.

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.

LG
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.
SS
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
VV
Excellent overview of Aristotle, the Epicureans, and Stoics. The ideas were clearly expressed in a way that makes learning easier.
DV
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!
AT
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
I honestly looked forward to this class at the end of each work day. Modest course work and excellent lectures and discussion exercises.
DK
Enjoyable and informative. I will keep coming back to this material to deeply consider some of the ideas presented in this course.
VV
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.
BH
Beautifully organized, this is a phenomenal tour through Aristotle's main ideas. Dr. Meyer is an expert on Aristotle, and this course is excellent for that reason!
ET
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.
MS
Excellent course. Really well presented and the prompts/quizzes were appropriate. I wish there were more. I have done both her courses. And they are both excellent.
EN
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.
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I took this course during covid. I am educated in civil engineering and have worked in the industry for almost 20 yrs. I took the free version of this course because I genuinely wanted to learn about philosophy when my background and course education has never given me options to. The course was wonderfully laid out and easy to understand coming from no background knowledge and it really opened my eyes. Thank you for making what seemed like it may be a difficult thing to learn late in life easy to understand and enjoyable. I am doing the free version so won’t be doing the final written assignments or peer reviews. Thank you again for making learning fun!!
This is an excellent course! The professor is well-timed and the resource material well-selected. In-depth treatment of Aristotle, the Stoics, and the Epicureans. Highly recommended.
I really enjoyed this course for numerous reasons. As a retired educator, I appreciated Professor Meyer's teaching style. She explained complex philosophical ideas clearly and distinctly. I thought some of the quizzes were a bit too tricky (which is what my former students probably said about my quizzes). The peer review process, although not the best vehicle to test knowledge, worked well. I thought long and hard before submitting my final essay. I was really impressed with some of the responses that I had to review to complete the course. Some advice for the learner: take notes (obviously). I found that taking iphone pics. of some slides was a great way to capture the information without having to write everything down. Take time digesting the final topic/question before you answer it. Write, re-write and re-write. You may receive a 'satisfactory' from your first attempt but by re writing your final essay several times you get to know the topic in a more in depth way. I took both the Plato and the Aristotle courses and I must admit that I much preferred this course to the earlier one on Plato Not sure why.
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.
In ancient philosophy you will learn who asked the 'big' questions. Questions that are still being debated in our own times by the religious and philosophically minded as well as explored in the arts and sciences. Prof. Meyer's narrative is informative and probing while not being judgemental. Assessing the quality of the ideas and underlying logic is left up to the student. A first rate course by a top class teacher!
Really good overview. Information is presented in a very clearly and concisely. The pace is good, and the topics are all very interesting.
The only things I didn't like had to do with format issues: I did not find the periodic "quizzes" that interrupt the videos to be helpful. They were more frustrating than anything since they broke up the flow of the videos and didn't add anything to my understanding of the topics. And while the intro sequences to each video are high-quality, it's unnecessary to have 25 seconds dedicated to the into for *each* and *every* video. This was repetitive and frustrating, especially since the volume on the intro sequences was much louder than the rest of the video, meaning I had to either manually skip the into or adjust the volume each time. These are technical details, so I don't want them to reflect poorly on the content of the course, which is excellent. It's more a suggestion to re-edit the course videos at some point.
I am a mathematician, who is interested in learning and developing philosophical ideas concerning the origin of modern science. I am periodically taking philosophical courses here and there to be clear about basic notions of classical philosophical thought. I have never met such a strong qualified lecturer as Professor Susan Sauvé Meyer before. She managed to present the whole body of Aristotelian philosophy in a catchy scheme without any loss of his points. Her explanations are precise and clear. I am admired of her lectures and going to take as many of her courses as I can find.
Thank you ! It has been a wonderful learning experience for me. Although I understand that I have only touched some of the basic of Greek ancient philosophy , but this course have given me an informative overview of its topical issues and key analytical arguments . It surely help me to read more related books and literature in the future.
And a special thanks to Professor Susan Meyer ! She is a cool, clear minded and wonderful teacher ! I feel so fortunate to be able to learn from her !
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.
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.
Philosophy is the way to understand the world by using rational structures of mind. Taking it into account, it's really important to have deep understanding of philosophical concepts and theories. The course really helps you to grasp the understanding of such kind. The lecturer explains genius ideas of ancient greek philosophers in a clear logically sequential way using excellent language. Definitely recommend!
Lecturer is clear and organized. Material is interesting and enjoyable. I learned a lot and would recommend this course to anyone who is of a philosophical bent and wishes to know more about the foundations of Western philosophy.
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!
Beautifully organized, this is a phenomenal tour through Aristotle's main ideas. Dr. Meyer is an expert on Aristotle, and this course is excellent for that reason!
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.
The course is nice but it's a pity that the professor didn't start with Aristotle's ethics (which is the coolest part of his philosophy in my opinion). The first part of the course was extremely boring. The parts about Epicurus and Stoicism were very interesting. The final assignments are nor being reviewed. I finished the course and I'm still waiting to get my Certificate. That's very annoying. Also, there are no Mentors replying. That's a pity. Greetings / Antonia
Not being a prior student of philosophy, or rather arts, I had a very different idea about this discipline. After taking the first week's course, I am pretty much enthusiastic about what is yet to come and look forward to learning more.
The course content seems good for me as an introduction.
Wish it included some more realistic examples from life which we can find witty and can relate to our lives.
Beside the annoying loud music in the intro of each video it is Insightful.
This is an okay course. The information was good, but it was delivered in a very slow manner. Overall, I think this course could be half the time it is currently listed at.
The "Ancient Philosophy: Aristotle and His Successors" course was an intellectually enriching experience that provided deep insights into Aristotle’s philosophical system and its lasting impact. The course covered Aristotle’s key contributions to metaphysics, ethics, politics, and logic, while also exploring how later philosophers developed and challenged his ideas. One of the strongest aspects of the course was its structured approach. The lectures were well-organized, starting with Aristotle’s foundational theories and gradually moving to his influence on later philosophical traditions. The explanations were clear and engaging, making even complex topics like virtue ethics and causality accessible. The course also encouraged critical thinking by presenting Aristotle’s ideas alongside alternative perspectives from Stoics, Epicureans, and Neoplatonists. The interactive elements, including quizzes and discussion forums, helped reinforce the concepts. However, I felt that more in-depth analysis of Aristotle’s lesser-known works could have added further depth. Despite this, the course was an excellent introduction to Aristotelian philosophy, suitable for both beginners and those with prior knowledge. Overall, this course is highly recommended for anyone interested in ancient philosophy and the intellectual legacy of Aristotle. It offers a strong foundation for further philosophical exploration.