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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Ancient Philosophy: Aristotle and His Successors by University of Pennsylvania

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About the Course

What is philosophy? How does it differ from science, religion, and other modes of human discourse? This course traces the origins of philosophy in the Western tradition in the thinkers of Ancient Greece. We begin with the Presocratic natural philosophers who were active in Ionia in the 6th century BCE and are also credited with being the first scientists. Thales, Anaximander, and Anaximines made bold proposals about the ultimate constituents of reality, while Heraclitus insisted that there is an underlying order to the changing world. Parmenides of Elea formulated a powerful objection to all these proposals, while later Greek theorists (such as Anaxagoras and the atomist Democritus) attempted to answer that objection. In fifth-century Athens, Socrates insisted on the importance of the fundamental ethical question—“How shall I live?”—and his pupil, Plato, and Plato’s pupil, Aristotle, developed elaborate philosophical systems to explain the nature of reality, knowledge, and human happiness. After the death of Aristotle, in the Hellenistic period, Epicureans and Stoics developed and transformed that earlier tradition. We will study the major doctrines of all these thinkers. Part I will cover Plato and his predecessors. Part II will cover Aristotle and his successors....

Top reviews

JB

Feb 2, 2019

This is an excellent course! The professor is well-timed and the resource material well-selected. In-depth treatment of Aristotle, the Stoics, and the Epicureans. Highly recommended.

VV

Jul 27, 2018

Excellent overview of Aristotle, the Epicureans, and Stoics. The ideas were clearly expressed in a way that makes learning easier.

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176 - 200 of 232 Reviews for Ancient Philosophy: Aristotle and His Successors

By Joanna C

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Oct 19, 2017

Interesting and informative.

By Tomas M

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Jun 19, 2021

Amazing course. Thank you.

By Чафонов В В

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May 15, 2022

Good introductory course!

By ROMINA P P

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Jan 15, 2026

Muy interesante me gusto

By HAROLD R G I

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Sep 22, 2025

Muy valiosa informacion

By John T

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Jun 3, 2017

Very Exceptional Course

By Zhou X

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May 25, 2016

Short and sweat course!

By William A

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Jun 23, 2016

An enlightening course

By ADRIAN A E C

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Sep 15, 2025

Excelente contenido

By ELISABETH S

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May 9, 2016

more than great!!!

By Leo T

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Jan 3, 2022

Very good course

By Stephen W

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Mar 29, 2017

Wonderful course!

By Wesley D S

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Mar 29, 2017

Loved the course!

By Cédric H

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Apr 4, 2016

Excellent course.

By WALTER E T C

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Sep 22, 2025

Excelente Curso

By IKER A H S

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Sep 20, 2025

MUY BUEN CURSO

By Juan M S

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Jul 17, 2023

Awesome course

By Cezar B S

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Feb 24, 2023

Great course!

By Luyao Z

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Jan 27, 2017

Great class!

By Matthew V

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Aug 18, 2020

I loved it!

By Paul C

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Mar 9, 2017

Superb. En

By Abdulaziz S B

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Dec 10, 2019

Excellent

By Kim n y

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Feb 28, 2019

v

e

r

y

good

By Jorge G

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Jul 2, 2020

Superb!