Greek Philosophy

Hello, my name is Michalis Katsimitsis.
I'm a Doctor of Philosophy and i have developed a programme "Greek Philosophy" The Art of Living under the academic supervision of Sotiris Fournaros who is assistant professor of Philosophy at the University of Athens.

The aim of the programme is to offer you a different approach to Greek Philosophy. In most cases we are used to attending philosophy programmes that just present and analyze what Thales had said about the origin of the world or Plato's theory of forms or Aristotle's logic and so on.
No matter how interesting how these programmes may be, they are incomplete because they lack a fundamental characteristic of Greek Philosophy that is its connection to life.

Ancient Greek Philosophy was not a search for knowledge for knowledge's sake, but it means to improve one's life, to alleviate its burdens and to offer a kind of guide for a well-being.

Of course one could reasonably argue that the times of Heraclitus, of Socrates, of Protagoras were totally different to ours, this is true but it is also the reason why Ancient Greek Philosophy remains important because it teaches us even today valuable lessons regarding our everyday lives.

Therefore, the programme "Greek Philosophy" the Art of Living does not only analyze the philosophies of Ancient Greece in such a way that they're easy to comprehend.

It also highlights the most valuable lessons that give us the opportunity to look into our life from a different perspective.

But the programme goes even further.

With our workshops, you'll have the opportunity to exercise and develop your philosophical thinking since you will be called to develop philosophical arguments on a variety of subjects.

Greek Philosophy - The Art of Living is a programme that everybody with an interest in Philosophy and don't know how to use it to improve one's life can and must follow.v

Come join us to this wonderful journey from Ancient Greece to Modern Life.

The programme is addressed to anyone who wants not only to learn what the ancient Greek philosophers taught, but also to philosophize on modern life through ancient Greek philosophy.

The programme “Greek Philosophy: the art of living” exceeds the scope of an ordinary course on ancient Greek philosophy. Its aim is not just to bring participants in touch with the ancient Greek philosophical intellect –the source of Western civilization– from the dawn of philosophical thought until the advent of Christianity; it also aims to connect ancient Greek philosophy with modern life, as well as highlight the ways in which Greek philosophy can improve our everyday lives. 

Lesson 1
Why philosophy? Why ancient Greek philosophy?
What is the role of philosophy in our lives, and the importance of ancient Greek philosophy in particular?

Lesson 2
From myth to reason
The transition from mythological to rational thinking and the birth of philosophy in ancient Greece.

Lesson 3
The first philosophers
I.Thales
II.Anaximander
III.Anaximenes
The first philosophers, living in a world at the threshold of reason, gave the first rational answers for the creation of the Kosmos (world) and the emergence of man.

Lesson 4
Pythagoras
An outstanding figure of the ancient Greek world, Pythagoras shaped a philosophy with strong religious elements and created a philosophical community, that lived by its own rules.

Lesson 5
Heraclitus
The "obscure" aristocrat philosopher, whom even the ancients had difficulty to understand. Heraclitus is the philosopher who praised war and fire, and even today is held in high esteem.

Lesson 6
The Eleatics
I.Xenophanes
II.Parmenides
III.Zeno – Melissus
Their common origin as well as the commonalities in their philosophical thought do not obscure the differences in their thought, the uniqueness of their philosophy and the paradoxes used to defend their philosophical positions.

Lesson 7
The other Presocratics
I.Empedocles
II.Anaxagoras
III. Leucippus – Democritus
The last pre-Socratic philosophers are equally important, as they offer different interpretations of the world, some of which have been restated in modern times.

Lesson 8
Socrates – Sophists
Socrates is the figure that changed the course of philosophical thought. His adversaries, the Sophists, focused on teaching and commenced a dynamic and productive philosophical debate on key issues.

Lesson 9
Plato
Pupil of Socrates, and one of the most prominent philosophers of all times; his influence is intense even today.

Lesson 10
Aristotle
The most distinguished of Plato's pupils, who taught us how to think logically and do research scientifically.

The course evaluation is based on written essays at the conclusion of each unit.

Online and distance training learning at National and Kapodistrian University of Athens offers a new way of combining innovative learning and training techniques with interaction with your tutor and fellow trainees from around the world.

The e-learning course is implemented via a user-friendly educational platform adjusted to the Distance Learning Principles. Courses are structured as weekly online meetings; interaction with the course tutor and other trainees takes place in a digital learning environment. The courses are designed to fit around your schedule; you access the course whenever it is convenient for you, however within the given deadlines.

The whole world becomes your classroom as e-learning can be done on laptops, tablets and phones as a very mobile method. Learning can be done on the train, on a plane or even during your trip to Greece!

The educational platform is a portal that offers access to electronic educational material based on modern distance learning technologies. The computer based nature of training means new technology is being introduced all the time to help trainees engage and learn in a tailored way that will meet their needs. E-learners have access to the educational platform with their personal code number in order to browse all relevant training material and interact with their instructors.

Moreover, an online communication system through own personal e-mail account is available in order to make the process easier and more interactive. Trainees can contact directly their tutors or the administration office of the course and share any concerns or anxieties related to the course in order to make the most of their experience.

Every week e-learners are provided with the relevant material, delivered either in the form of video-lectures, text notes and relevant presentations or as a combination of them. The educational material of the course is uploaded gradually, per educational unit. During the course, important info for the smooth conduct of the educational process, such as timetables for the submission of the exercises are announced on the Announcement section of the platform.

For successful completion of the course the e-learner should have fulfill her/his academic obligations, meaning should have submitted all corresponding assessment exercises and have achieved at least an average of 50% grade in the corresponding tests for each module. The score scale ranges from 0 to 100%. Finally, if the total score on one or more lessons of the course does not exceed 50%, trainees can ask for reassessment.

During the course trainees will be attending a training experience designed by academics and lecturers from the National University of Athens as well as from other Universities, Research Institutes and Cultural organizations around Greece.

Interactivity, flexibility and our long tradition guarantee that learning with us offers a successful and rewarding experience. Finally, access to a large variety of material and online resources available in each unit aims to excite your curiosity and guide you in exploring further your favourite topic. Part of the online material can be downloaded providing the chance to quickly refresh your memory after the completion of the course.