Philosophy

Aristotle Seminar I: Ethics & Metaphysics

Taught by Tim Jacobs
Difficulty: Introductory
Crosslist: None
Runs 4/8 – 6/15/24
$225.00 – $399.00

 

This course is an introduction to the thought of Aristotle with no prior philosophical training required. Along with Plato, Aristotle profoundly influential in the development of Christian theology through scholasticism and Thomas Aquinas. We will read Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, Politics, On the Soul, and Metaphysics, as well as small excerpts from commentaries by Aquinas and the Reformer Vermigli.

 

Deadline to register: Friday, March 29th

The syllabus for this class is available now. You can access it here.

 

 

ENROLLMENT OPTIONS

Auditing ($225):

participate in readings and live class sessions, but no graded assignments and no course credit

Full course (Full-Time Discount) ($275):

for-credit courses (at least four per term) toward our Certificate or M.Litt in Classical Protestantism

Full course ($399):

individual classes on a for-credit basis; you can later apply them toward a Certificate or Degree

 

ENROLL NOW

Description

This Philosophy course will be taught by Tim Jacobs, and will run from April 8th through June 15th. The syllabus will be posted when available.

This course is an introduction to the thought of Aristotle with no prior philosophical training required. Along with Plato, Aristotle was profoundly influential not only to the development of Christian theology through scholasticism and Thomas Aquinas but also to the philosophical and scientific development of the Western world more broadly. This course will lead novices through a close examination of Aristotle’s texts, touching on ethics, politics, the soul, and the structure of the universe. To fully appreciate his influence on the West and particularly the church, it is important to also see how his thought is appropriated and corrected by historically significant biblical theologians.

We will read selections from Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, Politics, On the Soul, and Metaphysics, as well as small excerpts from commentaries by Aquinas and the Reformer Vermigli. As a seminar-style course, this course will include be a hybrid of introductory lectures followed by text-based discussion.

The syllabus for this class is available now. You can access it here.

 

Tim Jacobs is a Lecturer in Philosophy at The Davenant Institute, and a PhD candidate in philosophy at the University of St. Thomas, TX. He also holds an MDiv and ThM from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He specializes in ancient and medieval philosophy, virtue, natural law, metaphysics, and classical logic, and has published several articles as well as contributed to Four Views on Christian Metaphysics, Jonathan Edwards Encyclopedia, and Lexham Bible Dictionary. His lifelong aim is to invest in the health of the church by reviving the unity between philosophy and theology. He lives with his wife and three kids in California. Follow him at TLJACOBS.COM.

 

Details

Online only, runs 10 weeks, meeting 2 hr./wk. via Zoom. Students will also have the option to participate in class discussion on the Davenant Common Room Discord server. Register to reserve your spot and schedule will be set after a poll of participating students; if the class time does not fit your schedule, you will be eligible for a full refund.

This is a graduate-level course. Although a BA is not a necessary pre-requisite for this course, students should come prepared to do graduate-level work.