24.201 Topics in the History of Philosophy

To varying extents ancient Greco-Roman and Indian philosophers embraced the following view: theorizing about the nature of reality, and doing so correctly, can give us a shot at the best possible human life, or indeed, for the Buddhists, at Nirvana. Practicing metaphysics is a guide to the good. In this course we will explore ancient Greco-Roman and Indian metaphysical and epistemological theories. We will do so with an eye towards examining how and to what extent those theories were meant to relate to human flourishing, liberation, and tranquility.