Meet the Stoics, Skeptics, and Epicureans, and learn about the intellectual milieu of the Greco-Roman World into which Christianity was born.

How to get the most out of Hellenistic Philosophy With Sam Nicholson:

• First, read the course materials below before the first class meeting.

• Then have a notebook ready and available for class notes each live session.

• Read assignments before class meetings

• Watch that week’s recording if you need to revisit information from our live session.

• Do the assignments, quizzes, and any extra work assigned for that week.

• Once the course is completed to the parent's and professor’s satisfaction, there is a Certificate of Completion at the end to be filled in for your records.

Special Notes: All course materials are available for FREE.

Total classes: 6

Duration per class: 55 minutes

Prerequisite: None

Suggested Grade Level: 9th to 12th grade

Suggested High School Credit: ½ semester credit for Philosophy or Hellenistic Philosophy

Instructor: Dr. Sam Nicholson

Course Description: What is true wisdom? Is it achieved through resignation to the designs of fate, the rational pursuit of pleasure, or the judicious suspension of all belief? The major schools of Hellenistic philosophy attempted to answer all of these questions and more, proposing philosophical paths to enlightenment and happiness accessible only through the study of philosophy. These schools had a major impact upon the culture and religion of the Greco-Roman World, and the Early Christians grappled with many of their specific claims and proposals as their own theology grew into maturity. In this course, will cover the essential elements of each Hellenistic school, examining clearly how they converge with and diverge from the Catholic understanding of wisdom and happiness.

Course Outline:

Class One: Introduction, Socratic Background, Epicureanism: Epicurus: Principal Doctrines
Class Two: Epicureanism: Epicurus: Letter to Menoeceus; Lucretius "On the Nature of Things" (excerpts)
Class Three:  Stoicism: Enchiridion of Epictetus
Class Four: Stoicism: Enchiridion of Epictetus; Meditations of Marcus Aurelius (excerpts)
Class Five:  Skepticism: Sextus Empiricus "Outlines of Pyrrhonism”
Class Six: Skepticism: Sextus Empiricus "Outlines of Pyrrhonism”; St. Augustine "Against the Academics" (excerpts)

Course Materials: All course materials will be made available from free online resources.

Homework: Homework will involve daily reading assignments from primary and secondary texts. These texts are short but dense and will require the student to read slowly and, in some cases, to go back and re-read. Expect to spend no less than an hour and a half per class reading. There will be three automated quizzes, one mid-term, and one final exam.

Technical Help: If you have any technical trouble or questions about course content, please email us at homeschoolconnections@gmail.com.

©2024 Homeschool Connections and Sam Nicholson. All rights reserved. This course is designed by Sam Nicholson.

• This material is only to be used for its intended purpose by active subscribers of Homeschool Connections. Any other use without explicit permission is in violation of the seventh commandment (yes, the 7th commandment) and in violation of US and International copyright laws.

• You may print or download to local hard disk extracts for your personal homeschool and non-commercial use only. This is not to be used for homeschool co-ops without express written permission from Homeschool Connections.