Admission requirements
Admission to (one of) the programme(s) listed under Part of in the information bar on the right.
Description
The seminar involves the student in a detailed study of one of the most influential works of ancient philosophy, Aristotle’s Metaphysics. The student reads large sections of this work together with the state-of-the-art in Aristotelian studies and compares them to relevant passages in late ancient commentaries on the Metaphysics and related works, written by e.g. Alexander of Aphrodisias (c. 200 CE), and Syrianus (c 400 CE).
Among the topics that come up for discussion are: the subject matter and scientific method of metaphysics; the concepts of being, unity and truth; the relation between metaphysics and so-called theology; the existence of the objects of mathematics; and the metaphysics of the products of the crafts. In the seminar we will see the wheels of philosophical development in motion and we will inspect up close how a different time and age may influence an intelligent reader of one and the same text. What does Aristotle have to say to us, while we are contemplating the role of metaphysical thinking in our own philosophical lives?
Course objectives
Students who successfully complete the course will have a good understanding of:
The most important topics in metaphysics in Aristotle and late antiquity;
factors that influence the reception of a philosophical text and thereby its impact on the historical development of philosophy.
Students who successfully complete the course will be able to:
interpret complex primary texts;
assess differences and agreements between philosophical positions and arguments;
reconstruct ancient debates on the interpretation of Aristotle;
critically assess modern secondary literature and recognize its dependence on ancient traditions of interpretation;
argue convincingly for his/her own interpretation of ancient philosophical texts.
Timetable
The timetables are available through My Timetable.
Mode of instruction
Seminar (a mix of lectures, student presentations, and discussion)
Class attendance is required.
Assessment method
Assessment
Oral presentation (25%)
Final paper (75%)
Weighing
To complete the final mark, please take notice of the following:
The final mark for the course is established by determining the weighted average. To pass the course, the weighted average of the partial grades must be 5.5 or higher.
Resit
The resit will consists of a revised final paper (75%). The grade for the presentation will remain in place.
Students who have obtained a satisfactory grade for the first examination cannot take the resit.
Inspection and feedback
How and when an exam review will take place will be disclosed together with the publication of the exam results at the latest. If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the exam results, an exam review will have to be organized.
Reading list
C.D.C. Reeve. Aristotle Metaphysics. Translated, with Introduction and Notes. Indianapolis: Hacket Publishing Company 2016.
Further readings will be provided through Brightspace.
Registration
Enrolment through MyStudyMap is mandatory.
General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website.
Registration À la carte education, Contract teaching and Exchange
Information for those interested in taking this course in context of À la carte education (without taking examinations), eg. about costs, registration and conditions.
Information for those interested in taking this course in context of Contract teaching (with taking examinations), eg. about costs, registration and conditions.
For the registration of exchange students contact Humanities International Office.
Contact
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar.
For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office:
Remarks
No remarks.