Lehrveranstaltungen Sommersemester 2017
Fortgeschrittenenseminar
Sextus Empiricus Outlines of Pyrrhonism
Mo. 12:00 bis 14:00 c.t. woch 24.04.2017 bis 24.07.2017 Raum: MusaPH (Leopoldstr. 11b, 4. Stock, Raum 433)
This seminar will be devoted to a key text of ancient Skepticism, the Outlines of Pyrrhonism. In this work Sextus, a doctor from the Empiricist school, explains the arguments by which the ancient skeptic seeks to induce “suspension of belief.” In addition to considering these arguments in detail, we will discuss the overall nature and aim of Pyrrhonic Skepticism, including the question of whether it aims to undermine all beliefs or only the technical sorts of belief advanced by rival philosophers. Texts will be read in Greek alongside the published English translation of Sextus will be made available. Participants will take it in turn to present the passages.
Literatur:
Readings
Greek text with facing page translation
• R.G. Bury (trans.), Sextus Empiricus: Outlines of Scepticism (Cambridge MA: 1933).
Alternate English translation
• J. Annas and J. Barnes (ed. and trans.), Sextus Empiricus: Outlines of Scepticism (Cambridge: 2000).
Supplementary readings
• J. Barnes, The Toils of Scepticism (Cambridge: 1990).
• R. Bett, Pyrrho, his Antecedents and his Legacy (Oxford: 2000).
• R. Bett (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Ancient Scepticism (Cambridge: 2010).
• R.J. Hankinson, The Sceptics (London: 1995).
• D. Sedley, “The Motivation of Greek Skepticism,” in The Skeptical Tradition, ed. M. Burnyeat (Berkeley: 1983), 9-29.
• M.F. Burnyeat and M. Frede (eds), The Original Sceptics (Indianapolis: 1997).
• G. Striker, “The Ten Tropes of Aenesidemus,” in M.F. Burnyeat (ed.), The Skeptical Tradition (Berkeley: 1983), 95–115.
Leistungsnachweis:
term paper OR (presentation(s)+essay/record), according to the lecturer's specification (= BA and general MA program in philosophy); equivalent forms of assessment by arrangement [9 ECTS-points]
Anmeldung:
(LSF) pre-registration is not necessary
Fortgeschrittenenseminar
Philosophy and Islamic Theology: al-Ashari
Di. 10:00 bis 12:00 c.t. woch 25.04.2017 bis 25.07.2017 Raum: MusaPH (Leopoldstr. 11b, 4. Stock, Raum 433)
This seminar will be devoted to the most important single source for our knowledge of early Islamic theology, or kalam: the Maqalat of al-Ashari. In this sprawling work, the founder of the Asharite theological tradition explains the views of previous theologians. Along the way, many issues of philosophical interest are raised, having to do with physics (the atomic theory), logic and epistemology (attributes as related to their bearers, the nature of knowledge), and metaphysics (the free will debate). We will look selections from this work, alongside draft translations by David Bennett, who will visit the seminar to introduce the work. Participation in the seminar presupposes some knowledge of Arabic.
Literatur:
Primary text
• Selections from Al-Ash‘arī, Maqālāt al-islāmiyyīn, ed. H. Ritter (1929).
• Draft English translations of passages by D. Bennett, to be circulated to participants at seminar.
Supplementary readings
• R.M. Frank, Early Islamic Theology: The Muʿtazilites and al-Ashʿarī (Aldershot: 2007).
• R.M. Frank, Early Islamic Theology: the Muʿtazilites and al-Ashʿarī (Aldershot: 2007).
• S. Schmitdke, The Oxford Handbook to Islamic Theology (Oxford: 2016), esp. ch. 7-9.
• J. van Ess, Theologie und Gesellschaft im 2. und 3. Jahrhundert Hidschra: eine Geschichte des religiösen Denkens im frühen Islam (Berlin: 1991-95).
• T. Winter, The Cambridge Companion to Classical Islamic Theology (Cambridge: 2008).
• H.A. Wolfson, The Philosophy of the Kalām (Cambridge MA: 1976).
Leistungsnachweis:
term paper OR (presentation(s)+essay/record), according to the lecturer's specification (= BA and general MA program in philosophy); equivalent forms of assessment by arrangement [9 ECTS-points]
Anmeldung:
(LSF) pre-registration is not necessary
Oberseminar (zus. mit Prof. Dr. Christof Rapp, Prof. Dr. Oliver Primavesi)
Ancient Philosophy: Research Seminar
Di. 12:00 bis 14:00 c.t. woch 25.04.2017 bis 25.07.2017 MusaPH (Leopoldstr. 11b, 4. Stock, Raum 433)
Current research projects in ancient philosophy.
Voraussetzungen: Command of English and Ancient Greek.
Kolloquium
BA/MA-Abschlusskolloquium
Mi. 12:00 bis 14:00 c.t. woch 26.04.2017 bis 26.07.2017 Leopoldstr. 13,H2 - 2402
In dem Kolloquium können BA- und Master-Arbeitsprojekte aus der gesamten Geschichte der Philosophie (nicht nur aus dem Bereich Antike und frühes Mittelalter) vorgestellt werden.
Bei Arbeiten mit einem speziellen Fokus auf (formale) Logik und/oder (formale) Wissenschaftstheorie sollte nach Absprache mit der Betreuerin/dem Betreuer erwogen werden, ob diese nicht besser in einem MCMP-Kolloquium (z. B. einer dortigen "Work-in-progress"-Veranstaltung) präsentiert werden können.