Undergraduate Course: God and gods in ancient philosophy (PHIL10255)
Course Outline
| School | School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course covers key topics in ancient Greek and Roman philosophy of religion. Typically, it will focus on the nature of God, the creation of the world and how God relates to the world, as well as exploring the idea that monotheism was present in ancient philosophy long before the rise of Christianity. |
| Course description |
According to a widely held view, the ancient Greeks and Romans were polytheists until Christianity became dominant in the Roman Empire. However, some scholars argue that monotheism featured in ancient philosophy long before the rise of Christianity. This course explores whether there was such a thing as pagan monotheism and, if so, how one can be a monotheist and still believe that there are many gods as well. We will typically discuss views of the nature of God, of how God relates to the world and what that means for us. The readings may vary from year to year but may include texts by Plato, Aristotle, the Stoics, the Epicureans, the Sceptics, Plotinus, and Gregory of Nyssa.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
Students MUST have passed:
Mind, Matter and Language (PHIL08014) AND
Knowledge and Reality (PHIL08017)
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | Students studying on MA Cognitive Science (Humanities) are permitted to take this course without having met the pre-requisites of Mind, Matter and Language and Knowledge and Reality. However, it is advisable that students discuss the suitability of the course with their Student Adviser and the Course Organiser before enrolling. |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Visiting students should have completed at least 3 Philosophy courses at grade B or above. We will only consider University/College level courses. Applicants should note that, as with other popular courses, meeting the minimum does NOT guarantee admission. **Please note that honours Philosophy courses are high-demand, meaning that they have a very high number of students wishing to enrol in a very limited number of spaces.** These enrolments are managed strictly by the Visiting Student Office, in line with the quotas allocated by the department, and all enquiries to enrol in these courses must be made through the CAHSS Visiting Student Office. It is not appropriate for students to contact the department directly to request additional spaces. |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2026/27, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 0 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 22,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
174 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Midterm essay (1,500 words) - 40%
Final essay (2,500 words) - 60% |
| Feedback |
Individual written feedback will be provided on both written assignments. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Critically read and evaluate historical philosophical texts.
- Interpret texts and arguments in the history of philosophy charitably.
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of key problems and proposed solutions in ancient philosophy of religion.
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Reading List
- M. Frede, 'Monotheism and Pagan Philosophy in Later Antiquity'.
- L. Gerson, God and Greek Philosophy.
- D. Sedley, Creationism and its critics in antiquity. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Critical thinking; problem solving; communication; reflection; curiosity.
These are all essential skills one uses when doing philosophy. They are used when reading the texts, thinking about them, discussing them in class and writing the assessments. |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Damian Caluori
Tel: (0131 6)50 3484
Email: dcaluori@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mr Cameron Findlay
Tel:
Email: cameron.findlay@ed.ac.uk |
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