Skepticism, Stoicism, and Neo-Platonism

Ancient philosophy is the period following Aristotle and stretching into the third century A.D.,Hellenistic and Roman Philosophy. A number of philosophical schools flourished: Stoicism, Epicureanism, Skepticism, Middle-Platonism, Neo-Platonism. Some had sophisticated answers to questions in epistemology, ethics, and metaphysics: Does the human mind use mental language? Are we responsible for our thoughts? Is pleasure the goal of life? What kinds of emotions does the wise person have? Can Plato's account of the Forms be enriched by Aristotle's account of God? What is the metaphysical status of Socrates' "daimon"? The primary emphases of the course are Stoicism and the Platonisms.