180136 VO-L History of Philosophy I (2012W)

An introduction to the philosophy of the Ancient world has to face many challenges: Explain philosophic-historical contexts to our understanding, refer to doctrines, describe and interpret works, initiate critical discussions on various issues. A compromise has to be achieved between these manifold approaches in order that the lecture can provide an introduction to the ideas, terms and constellation of problems of that era by using carefully selected topics and texts. Reading and explaining short and concise original texts enabel a sustainable approach to the thinking of ancient philosophers.
The goal of the lecture in general is to demonstrate in an historic-systematic overview the all-important significance of ancient philosophy for the basic understanding of philosophy in particular. This is to succeed trying to describe the spectrum of meaning of important original Greek terms in their adequate philosophical context and possibly prove their survival or existance in today's scientific language.
The goal is to intensify the understanding of ancient philosophy as the Greeks first developed these very issues on interrogation as well as different methods and terms that characterize Western thought substantially up to current debates.
Nevertheless, problems, questions and topics of those times have remained ours afterall: Explain the world, coexist in social structures, act morally, strive for happiness, cope with suffering and death.