Program in Classical Philosophy

Director

John M. Cooper

Executive Committee

John M. Cooper, Philosophy

Hendrik Lorenz, Philosophy

Alexander Nehamas, Philosophy, Comparative Literature, and Council of the Humanities

Gideon Rosen, Philosophy, ex officio

Christian Wildberg, Classics

 

Classical philosophy requires a combination of skills and knowledge that normally cannot be provided by work restricted to either classics or philosophy. It is the aim of the Program in Classical Philosophy to meet this need, while at the same time equipping students for teaching and research in either classics or philosophy. The program’s essential feature is that students of each of the two subjects may pursue, in place of fields normally offered for the degree in either subject, such work as will advance their proficiency in classical philosophy in accordance with their individual needs. Students apply for admission to and take degrees in either of the participating departments, but they specify on their applications for admission that they wish to enroll in this program. Admission to the program and special awards of financial aid to those enrolled in classical philosophy are granted by an interdepartmental committee.

Language Requirement

A knowledge of Greek and Latin is required of all students enrolled in the program, if not on entry then as soon as possible afterwards. Applicants to the philosophy department must possess a basic knowledge of Greek, up to the level of Plato’s Socratic dialogues, and are recommended to have comparable abilities in Latin. Applicants to the classics department must fulfill that department’s language requirements for entering students. Sight examinations are given at the beginning of the first year, to determine the student’s level of competence in the classical languages. When advisable, the study of the classical languages is carried on as part of the first-year graduate program of candidates in philosophy. Philosophy students in the program must demonstrate a reading knowledge of French or German, and classics students must demonstrate a knowledge of both of these languages, before taking the general examination.

Program of Study

The normal duration of the program is five years. A faculty adviser supervises the student’s work and assists in planning the program of study, which includes course selection and supervised individual research. Students are expected to take graduate seminars and/or undergraduate courses in the other of the two participating departments and are encouraged to pursue related special interests by doing work in other departments and programs, such as the Department of Near Eastern Studies, Religion, or the Program in the History of Science. Variances, requiring the approval of their department, may be granted to students, permitting them to do less than the normal work in some other area if this is required in order to allow them to pursue their special interests.

Examinations for Students in the Department of Classics

A generals field in classical philosophy, including a reading list component, is taken by the end of the sixth term, and this constitutes part of the departmental general examination. Apart from the philosophy component, students must take two further examinations either in Greek and Latin literature or Greek and Roman history. Students may elect to take any or all of these examinations at any period earlier than the end of the sixth term.

In addition, there is a special author examination (in either Greek or Latin) that is designed to test students’ expertise on a specific topic of their choice. For each examination, students choose a faculty supervisor with whom they agree on a syllabus, including both primary and secondary material. Supervised preparation for each examination should cover approximately one semester. It is normally expected that one of the special examinations will be closely related to the topic of the dissertation.

Examinations for Students in the Department of Philosophy

In addition to the sight examinations in Greek and Latin mentioned above, before the general examination philosophy students present themselves for examination on preliminary reading lists of Greek and Latin authors. Permission to take the general examination is granted by the Department of Philosophy if it is satisfied that a student has an adequate, basic knowledge of the following fields: (1) history of philosophy, (2) ethics, (3) metaphysics and epistemology, and (4) logic. The student may choose to demonstrate such knowledge through performance in courses, examination (written or oral), or supervised independent work. For students in the program, the normal departmental requirements in these fields are sometimes adjusted to allow for greater concentration on ancient philosophy.

The general examination, taken at the latest in October of the student’s fourth year, consists of a written examination followed by an oral examination of approximately one and one half hours on the field of classical philosophy. As part of the examination, the student may be required to translate and comment on relevant Greek or Latin texts.

Dissertation

Students who have shown themselves properly qualified in the general examination then write a doctoral dissertation under the guidance of a member of the interdepartmental committee. When the dissertation has been satisfactorily completed, students conclude their work for the doctorate with the final public oral examination as provided in the general regulations of the University.

The classical philosophy program offers no master of arts program independent of the course of study and examinations leading to the doctorate.

Teaching Experience

Classical philosophy students in the philosophy department are subject to the departmental teaching requirement of six hours of teaching.