Close cooperation between Philosophy and Classical Studies has been a central feature of Ancient, Medieval
and Renaissance Philosophy at the University of South Carolina. A significant emphasis is placed on historical
and literary preparation for the reading of Greek and Latin Philosophical texts. The commitment to a reading
of these texts takes into account the essential connection between form and content. The reading and teaching
of Platonic Dialogues emphasizes the philosophical and literary unity of the whole dialogue. This same
interpretative strategy is applied in the case of Medieval and Renaissance Philosophical Texts. Significant
attention is also given to the impact of modern philosophical theory on the interpretation of texts in the
History of Philosophy. The Department places great importance on the History of Philosophy. This involves
the training of students in the philosophical readingi> of major texts from the Historyi> of Philosophy.
The ultimate aim of the interpretation is to enable the student to get proper access to the subject-matters of
Philosophy.
The Department can now offer Doctoral work on Plato's Dialogues, Aristotle, Ancient Science/Mathematics and Late
Ancient Philosophy, Medieval and Renaissance Philosophy.
Philosophy Graduate Faculty
Jerry Hacket (PhD Toronto, Professor and Chair, Philosophy) Jerry Hackett has a broad interest
in understanding the recovery of Ancient Philosophy in the Middle Ages, Renaissance and Early Modern Periods.
He is particularly interested in 'deconstructing' stereotypes of the History of Philosophy. He does research
on Roger Bacon, Meister Eckhart and Jordanus of Quedlinburg, He has a particular interest in medieval philosophy
of mind.
Heike Sefrin-Weis (PhD Pittsburgh, Assistant Professor, Philosophy and Classics)
works primarily on ancient philosophy and ancient science. She is particularly interested in
Aristotle's metaphysics and science, in ancient mathematics, in ancient positions on the meaning,
the methodology, and the meta-theory of science, and in the transmission and reception of all of
these in the ancient world and in the early modern period.
Associated Faculty
Mark Beck (PhD Noth Carolina, Assistant Professor, Classics) is primarily interested in the
reception of classical Greek thought in the Second Sophistic era, Greek historiography and biography. Most of his
recent research focuses on the middle Platonist philosopher and biographer Plutarch of Chaeronea and the
interrelationship between the two major parts of his oeuvre, the Parallel Lives and the Moralia.
Jill Frank (PhD Berkeley, Associate Professor, Political Science) Jill Frank studies and
writes about political philosophy, focusing on classical political theory. Her current research has four components:
Aristotle's practical philosophy, and specifically on his account of practical wisdom; Plato's practical philosophy;
Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War; and domestic politics during times of civil and international conflict,
as seen through the writings of Thucydides, Plato, and Aristotle.
Allen Miller (PhD Texas, Professor, Classics) works primarily in
contemporary poststructural philosophy and theory, Plato, and ancient poetry. He is currently working
on a book that examines the role Platonic philosophy has played in the development of poststructuralist
philosophies of the subject. He is also interested in the intersection between ethics, epistemology and
metaphysics in Plato. He is currently the editor of Transactions of the American Philological Association.
He also serves on the Editorial Board for Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics.
Rosamond Sprague (PhD Bryn Mawr, Emerita Professor, Philosophy and Classics)
works in several areas of ancient philosophy, especially Plato.
Her major publications include Plato's Use of Fallacy (Routledge 1965), Plato's Philosopher-King
(USC Press 1976), and translations of Plato's Euthydemus (Bobbs-Merrill 1965) and Laches and Charmides
(Bobbs-Merrill 1973). She has edited The Older Sophists (USC Press 1972), and A Matter of Eternity,
an anthology of the theological writings of Dorothy L. Sayers (Eerdmanns 1973). She has published numerous articles
and reviews. Although retired, she contionues to be a presence in the Department of Philosophy.
Several graduate students at USC have research interests in ancient, medieval, and renaissance philosophy.
Faculty work actively with students, and students participate fully in the intellectual activities of the
group, especially reading groups and seminars.
Heather Allen has interests in ancient philosophy,
especially Aristotle.
Patrick Brissey has interests in medieval philosophy,
especially Anselm.
Adam Carmichael is interested in the history of western philosophy, particularly ancient philosophy
and more recent thinkers who attempt to retrieve the ancients. He is primairly interested in
ethical/practical issues, self-knowledge, and the relation between philosophy and literature.
Currently, he is beginning to work on his dissertation in which he will conduct a study of Plato's Phaedo.
The question guiding him in this study is whether or not the immortality of the soul and the theory of
forms are presented in a confident and dogmatic fashion in the text as the Platonic tradition has
suggested.
Recently offered courses by USC faculty include:
- Age of Pericles
- Ancient and Medieval Political Theory
- Aristophanes' Lysistrata
- Aristotle
- Classics in Political Theory
- Desire in the Text
- Euripides's Medea
- From Medieval Philosophy to Descartes
- Greek and RomanAntiquity after Aristotle
- Herodotus
- History of Ancient Philosophy
- History of Medieval Philosophy
- Latin Erotic Elegy
- Latin Satire
- Medieval Philosophy (problems)
- Medieval Sources of Early Modern Philosophy
- Plato
- Plato's Gorgias
- Sophocles's Antigone
- The Uses of Medieval Philosophy in Modern Philosophy
The Philosophy Department has an active Colloquium Series, which sometimes includes talks and other activities
related to Ancient, Medieval, and Renaissance philosophy. In addition, we sponsor the annual Rosamond Kent Sprague Lecture, featuring a prominent
speaker in ancient philosophy. We also have regular reading groups. Most recently, our group has
engaged in a careful reading of Plato's Philebus.
Other Units on Campus
In addition to activities expicitly sponsored by the Department of Philosophy, there are other
units on campus with related activities, most especially, of course, the
Classics Program.
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