Description

Since 1960s various animal right movements, activists, writers and philosophers have been calling our attention to the abuse, mistreatment and exploitation of animals in the food, medical, cosmetic and even entertainment industry, their reasoning being based on the fact that humans cannot justly deny rights to other species. Surprisingly, all the arguments advanced by animal advocates of our era have been more or less anticipated by Greek philosophers (e.g. Xenocrates of Chalcedon (396 – 314 BC), Plutarch, Porphyry).

In our reading and (if you like) conversation sessions Squeaker, the talking pig, accompanied by Odysseus and Circe (no, I am not making these up, honestly, they are the characters of the Plutarchan dialogue we shall start with) will discuss and defend his thesis that animals are both intellectually and morally superior to humans.

Not yet convinced that Plutarch was serious writing his treaties? Just wait till you see his defense of a meat-free lifestyle!

We shall read and discuss the following treatises by Plutarch:

• Πότερα τῶν ζῴων φρονιμώτερα τὰ χερσαῖα ἢ τὰ ἔνυδρα

“Only a few persons now dispute that animals possess some power of reasoning.”

                                                                                                Charles Darwin, The Descent of Man

• Περὶ τοῦ τὰ ἄλογα λόγῳ χρῆσθαι

“It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied. And if the fool, or the pig, is of a different opinion, it is only because they only know their own side of the question.”

                                                                                                                        John Stuart Mill, Utilitarianism

• Περὶ σαρκοφαγίας

“You have just dined, and however scrupulously the slaughterhouse is concealed in the graceful distance of miles, there is complicity.”

                                                                                                                        Ralph Waldo Emerson

For Whom Is This Course?

• • intermediate to advanced learners of Ancient Greek
  • students interested in speaking Ancient Greek

Prerequisites

• • good knowledge of Ancient Greek (at least one year of university studies or equivalent)
  • experience speaking the language is welcome but not necessary

Language of Instruction

• • Ancient Greek

Time & Date

• • Friday, 19:00-20:30 Central European Time
  • From January 31, 2024, to April 4, 2024

Teacher

Karolina Doušová Karolina teaches Latin and Ancient Greek as living languages in Prague (at Charles University and at “Gymnázium Jaroslava Seiferta”). She has taught various spoken Latin and Greek classes, in person as well as online, e.g. Caelum and Οὐρανός for Cultura Clásica in Madrid, Spain.

Registration

To register, please put the class into your digital shopping card and proceed to checkout. Alternatively, you can also send us an email: info@argos-didaskei.com

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