Spring 2009 Wisdom Course Reading List

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Schedule of Readings and Topics, Wisdom Course, Spring

Introduction to the Course: First Day Information

Lecture/Discussion: "Overview of 3 Wisdom Traditions," "Developing a Philosophy of Wisdom"

Greek and Hellenistic Philosophy, Culture, and Wisdom 1

1. Plato. "Apology." The Collected Dialogues of Plato. editors Edith Hamilton and Huntington Cairns. translator. L. A. Post. Bollingen Series LXXI. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 1961.

2. ---. "Symposium." The Collected Dialogues of Plato, 1961.

3. ---. "Phaedo." The Collected Dialogues of Plato, 1961.

4. Robinson, Daniel. "Wisdom Through the Ages." Wisdom: Its Nature, Origins, and Development. editor Robert J. Sternberg. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990. 13-24.

5. Labouvie-Vief, Gisela. "Wisdom As Intergrated Thoguht: Historical and Devleopmental Perspectives." Wisdom: Its Nature, Origins, and Development. ed Robert J. Sternberg. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1990. 52-83.

6. Santilli, Paul C., and Kristine S. Santilli. "On the Strange Relation Between Heroic Socrates and Wise Achilles." Mythos and Logos: How to Regain the Love of Wisdom. Editor Albert A. Anderson. New York: Rodopi NY, 2004. 189-202.

Greek and Hellenistic Philosophy, Culture, and Wisdom 2

1. Aristotle, Nichomachean Ethics: Books 1-5

2. Csiksentmihali, Mihaly. "Psychology of Wisdom: Evolutionary Interpretation." Wisdom: Its Nature, Origins, and Development. editor Robert J. Sternberg. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990. 25-51.

Greek and Hellenistic Philosophy, Culture, and Wisdom 3

1. Aristotle, Nichomachean Ethics, Books 5-10

2. Aristotle, Metaphysics, Book 1, Chapters 1 & 2

3. Joseph Owen, "Aristotle's Notion of Wisdom" (recommended)

4. Baltes, P. B, and Jacqui Smith. "Toward a Psychology of Wisdom and Its Ontogenesis." Wisdom: Its Nature, Origins, and Development. editor Robert J. Sternberg. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990. 87-121.

5. Baltes, Paul B., and Alexandra M. Freund. "The Intermarriage of Wisdom and Selective Optimization With Compensation." Flourishing: Positive Psychology and the Life Well-Lived. Corey L. M. Keyes and Jonathan Haidt. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2002. 249-71. February 10 Greek and Hellenistic Philosophy, Culture, and Wisdom 4

Hellenism - Stoicism

Epictetus, "The Encheiridion (Handbook) of Epictetus"

1. Epictetus, Dialogues, BK1, Chapters 18 and 29 (up to line 30)

2. Epictetus, Dialogues, BK1, Chapters 9 and Bk 11 ch. 8

3. Epictetus, Dialogues, BK1, Chapters 24 & 25

4. Epictetus, Dialogues, BK2, Chapter 6

5. Epictetus, Dialogues, BK3, Chapters 12 & 13

6. Epictetus, Dialogues, BK3, Chapters 21 & 22

Recommended: Darrin McMahon, excerpt "Surgery for the Soul," from Happiness: A History, New York, Atlantic Montly Press, 2006, pp. 50-59.

Lecture Topics

1. "How a Wise Person Would Have Handled the Hot Water Heater"

2. "Finding wisdom at the pool"

3. "The Stoic Worldview"

4. "Stoic Spiritual Exercises,"

Greek and Hellenistic Philosophy, Culture, and Wisdom 5

Hellenism - Epicureanism

1. Epicurus, "Letters,"

2. "Principle Doctrines,"

3. "Vatican Sayings"

4. Kitchner, Karen Strohm, and Helene G. Brenner. "Wisdom and Reflective Judgment: Knowing in the Face of Uncertainty." Wisdom: Its Nature, Origins, and Development. editor Robert J. Sternberg. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990. 212-30.

Yoga Philosophy and Samkhya Philosophy 1

1. Barbara Miller, Yoga: Discipline of Freedom, "Introduction"

2. Feuerstein, Chapter 1, "Building Blocks"

3. Feuerstein, Chapter 2, "The Wheel of Yoga"

4. Donna Farhi, "Yoga and Life Practice," from Bringing Yoga to Life 38-51.

Yoga Philosophy and Samkhya Philosophy 2

1. Feuerstein, Chapter 4, "Yoga in Ancient Times"

2. Feuerstein, Chapter 5, "The Whispered Wisdom of the Early Upanishads"

3. Donna Fahri, Chapter 6, "Cleaning up our Act: The Four Brahmavihara"

4. Donna Fahri, Chapter 7, "The Freedom of Discipline"

Yoga Philosophy and Samkhya Philosophy 3

1. Feurstein, Chapter 9, "The History and Literature of Patanjala-Yoga"

2. Miller, Part One, "Cessation of Thought and Contemplative Calm"

3. Miller, Part Two, "The Practice of Yoga"

Yoga Philosophy and Samkhya Philosophy 4

1. Miller, Part 3, "Perfect Discpline and Extraordinary Powers"

2. Miller, Part 4, "Absolute Freedom"

3. Fahri, Chapter 8, "Embodied Awareness"

Judaic and Christian Wisdom 1

1. Read Proverbs. Look especially for connections with Hellenism, the "rhetoric" of wisdom in the text, and any parallels (and contrasts) you notice with Yoga.

2. Ganss, Ignatius of Loyola: The Spiritual Exercises and Selected Works, "General Introduction," p. 1-60. Judaic and Christian Wisdom 2

1. Ignatius of Loyola, The Spiritual Exercises, in Ganss, pp. 113-215. This week we will have a visit and guest talk and discussion by Sr. Mary Garvin, from Religious Studies, 4-5pm.

Judaic and Christian Wisdom 3

1. Ignatius of Loyola, The Spiritual Exercises, in Ganss, pp. 113-215.

2. Barrett, Justin. "How Ordinary Cognition Informs Petitionary Prayer." Journal of Cognition and Culture 1.3 (2001): 259-69.

3. Assorted documents related to prayer and the Examen. (packet)

4. Wilson, Timothy D. "Chapters 8-10: "Introspection and Self-Narratives," "Looking Outward to Know Ourselves," and "Observing and Changing Our Behavior"." Strangers to Ourselves. Timothy D. Wilson. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Belknap/Harvard UP, 2002. 159-221.

Judaic and Christian Wisdom 4

1. Wilson, David. "Chapter 4: The Secular Utility of Relgion." Darwin's Cathedral: Evolution, Religion, and the Nature of Society. David Wilson. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2002. 125-60. BL 60 / .W544 / 2002 Foley.

2. Stanovich, Keith E. "The Rationality of Educating for Wisdom." Educational Psychologist 36.4: 247-51.

May 04 Final exam 3:30 to 5:30. ©2010 by Mark Alfino, Department of Philosophy, Gonzaga University.

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