This course will provide an overview of some of Plato and Aristotle’s
most famous, interesting, and influential ideas in ethics. Among other
topics, we will discuss: (1) the idea that we lack ethical knowledge and
should entirely devote ourselves to finding it, (2) their general
framework where everyone seeks happiness and the virtues are what lead
to one’s happiness, (3) the questions: (i) can virtue be taught, (ii) is
virtue a type of knowledge, (iii) is it possible to do wrong willingly,
(iv) how does practical reason work, and (v) what is the role of reason
in the good life? Special attention will be given to what courage is
and how, if at all, it differs from wisdom.
- Kursverantwortliche/r: Hendrik Liermann
Semester: SoSe 2021