John Locke Lectures. 'Ancient Greek Philosophies as a Way of Life'



The John Locke Lectures are among the world's most distinguished lecture series in philosophy. This list of past lecturers shows that most of the greatest philosophers of the last half century have been Locke Lecturers. The series began in 1950, funded from the generous bequest of Henry Wilde.

Trinity Term 2011
John Cooper, (Princeton)
'Ancient Greek Philosophies as a Way of Life' 
The 2011 John Locke Lectures
Abstract
Philosophy is a demanding intellectual discipline, with many facets: logic, epistemology, philosophy of nature and science, metaphysics, ethics, political philosophy, philosophy of art, rhetoric, philosophy of language and mind. But a long tradition of ancient Greek philosophers, beginning with Socrates, made their philosophies also complete ways of life. For them reason, perfected by philosophy—not religion, not cultural traditions and practices—constitutes the only legitimate authority for determining how one ought to live. They also thought philosophically informed reason should be the basis for all our practical attitudes, all our decisions, and in fact the whole of our lives. In these lectures we examine the development of this pagan tradition in philosophy, from its establishment by Socrates, through Plato and Aristotle, the Stoics, Epicurus, the Pyrrhonian Skeptics, and Plotinus and late ancient Platonism.
The 2011 John Locke Lecture series was held at 5 p.m. on Wednesdays in weeks 1 to 6 of Trinity Term 2011. The lectures were given at the Gulbenkian Lecture Theatre, St Cross Building, Manor Road. The classes took place at the Faculty of Philosophy, 10 Merton Street.
Lecture 1 (4th May): 'Philosophy in Antiquity as a Way of Life' [Handout] [MP3]
Lecture 2 (11th May): 'Aristotle's Philosophy as Two Ways of Life' [MP3]
Class/Seminar (18th May): 'The Epicurean and Pyrrhonian Ways of Life' (Texts and Discussion).
Lecture 3 (25th May): 'The Stoic Way of Life' [Handout] [MP3]
Lecture 4 (1st June): 'Platonism as a Way of Life' [Handout] [MP3]
Class/Seminar (8th June): 'Plotinus on the Human Person and the Virtues' (Texts and Discussion)

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