the lyceum
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an online school for philosophy
The Lyceum was the site of a philosophical school founded by Aristotle in 335 BCE. Aristotle's school was the second school in the history of philosophy, the first being founded by Aristotle's teacher, Plato. Both schools were located in Athens, Greece. Despite being within walking distance of one another, the schools of Plato and Aristotle taught very different philosophies. Aristotle founded his school in 335 BCE and taught there for 12 years until his death in 322 BCE. The Lyceum was destroyed in 86 BCE by the Roman Emperor Sulla. Today, the site of The Lyceum is a park in Athens, and there are some ruins of the original buildings that can still be seen. I named my online school "The Lyceum" in honor of Aristotle, my favorite philosopher.
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While there is a growing amount of great philosophy content available online today, there is a huge gap between Youtube videos, podcasts, blogs, and university level courses in philosophy. The Lyceum is meant to bridge that gap by providing a rigorous online learning experience for those who are serious about studying philosophy outside of the university.
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As a student in The Lyceum, you will study the chronological history of Western philosophy up to Aristotle. Aristotle is one of the most significant sources of knowledge about the history of philosophy because he required his students to conduct research on a wide variety of topics and collect as much information about human knowledge as possible.
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Instead of offering individual courses that can be completed in a few days, The Lyceum offer a continuous learning experience that will be updated regularly with new lessons and content.​
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The Lyceum also runs on a subscription model, and is designed to provide a continuous learning experience which can be completed at your own pace. This makes The Lyceum ideal for self-learners, and those who do not have time to enroll in university courses.
Enrolling in The Lyceum gives you access to video lectures, detailed ebooks, quizzes, exams, and an online community of students who are also interested in learning and discussing philosophy.
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The Lyceum is funded by a monthly tuition of $15 per student. This tuition allows me to continue creating high-quality content.
The Lyceum will open for enrollment on November 1st, 2024.
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curriculum
The Lyceum offers a curriculum that covers over one thousand years of Western philosophy, starting with pre-philosophical Greek thought in the 8th century BCE and ending with the well-known reflections of Marcus Aurelius in the 2nd century CE. The curriculum of The Lyceum will progress through the history of Western philosophy in chronological order.
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Below you will find a timeline that provides a brief overview of each philosopher that will be studied in The Lyceum, as well as the order in which they will be studied.
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On the right side of the timeline, you will also find information about whether the course corresponding each philosopher has been completed, is currently in the process of being completed, or is planned to be completed in the future.
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A course will be considered completed when there is a published course text, published quizzes for each lesson, and a published exam for the entire learning module.
Note: Completed courses will continue to receive edits and updates over time and may gain additional resources such as video lectures or additional questions and downloadable content.
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A course will be considered in progress when there are some of the above resources published, but not all. For these courses, you can expect all materials to be published within one month.
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A course will be considered planned when I have not published any course materials, but expect to within a year.
the timeline of philosophy
Pre-Philosophic
(9th-7th Century)
The legendary ancient Greek poet traditionally credited with composing the epic poems "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey," which have had a profound influence on Western literature.
Homer (8th century BCE)
An early Greek poet who wrote "Theogony" and "Works and Days," offering insights into Greek mythology and agricultural practices.
Hesiod (7th century BCE)
Pre-Socratic
(6th-4th Century)
Often considered the first philosopher, Thales proposed that water is the fundamental substance of the universe.
Thales (6th century BCE)
Course Status: Complete
A student of Thales, Anaximander introduced the concept of the "apeiron" or the boundless as the origin of all things.
Anaximander (6th century BCE)
Course Status: Complete
Believed that air is the fundamental element that forms all matter.
Anaximenes (6th century BCE)
Course Status: Complete
Critiqued the anthropomorphic portrayal of gods and suggested that there is one god, unlike humans in form and thought.
Xenophanes (6th/5th century BCE)
Course Status: In Progress
Founded the Pythagorean school, emphasizing the role of numbers in the structure of reality and advancing early mathematical theories.
Pythagoras (6th/5th century BCE)
Course Status: In Progress
Known for his doctrine that change is the fundamental essence of the universe, captured in the phrase "You cannot step into the same river twice."
Heraclitus (6th/5th century BCE)
Course Status: In Progress
Argued that change is an illusion and that reality is unchanging, singular, and eternal.
Parmenides (6th/5th century BCE)
Course Status: In Progress
Introduced the concept of Nous (Mind) as the organizing principle of the cosmos.
Anaxagoras (5th century BCE)
Course Status: In Progress
Proposed the theory of the four classical elements—earth, water, air, and fire—as the roots of all matter.
Empedocles (5th century BCE)
Course Status: In Progress
Developed atomism further, positing that all matter consists of small, indestructible particles.
Democritus (5th century BCE)
Course Status: In Progress
A Sophist who argued that "man is the measure of all things," emphasizing relativism in knowledge and ethics.
Protagoras (5th/4th century BCE)
Course Status: In Progress
Classical Athenian Philosophy
(4th century)
A foundational figure in Western philosophy, known for his method of questioning and emphasis on ethics and self-knowledge.
Socrates (469-399 BCE)
Course Status: Planned
Founded the Academy and developed the Theory of Forms, influencing Western philosophy through his dialogues.
Plato (429-347 BCE)
Course Status: Planned
A leading Cynic who advocated for a life of simplicity and virtue in rejection of societal conventions.
Diogenes (404-323 BCE)
Course Status: Planned
A student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great, Aristotle developed comprehensive systems in philosophy, science, and ethics.
Aristotle (384-322 BCE)
Course Status: Planned
Hellenistic Philosophy
323 BCE-31 BCE
Founder of Epicureanism, teaching that the goal of life is to achieve pleasure and avoid pain through moderate living and the pursuit of knowledge.
Epicurus (342-271 BCE)
Course Status: Planned
The founder of Pyrrhonism, a form of skepticism that held that we cannot know anything for certain and should therefore suspend judgment.
Pyrrho (4th/3rd century BCE)
Course Status: Planned
Founder of Stoicism, teaching that virtue, the highest good, is based on knowledge and living in harmony with nature.
Zeno of Citium (344-262 BCE)
Course Status: Planned
A Stoic philosopher and successor to Zeno, known for emphasizing the importance of virtue and living according to reason.
Cleanthes (3rd century BCE)
Course Status: Planned
Chrysippus (3rd century BCE)
A Stoic philosopher who systematized Stoic logic and ethics, playing a crucial role in shaping Stoicism.
Course Status: Planned
Carneades (214-129 BCE)
A skeptic philosopher who challenged the Stoic concept of certainty and argued that knowledge is probabilistic.
Course Status: Planned
A Roman poet and philosopher who articulated Epicurean philosophy in his poem De Rerum Natura, explaining the nature of the universe.
Lucretius (1st century BCE)
Course Status: Planned
Cicero (106-43 BCE)
A Roman statesman and philosopher whose works on rhetoric, ethics, and politics greatly influenced Western thought.
Course Status: Planned
Later Roman Philosophy
43 BCE-180 CE
Seneca was a Roman Stoic philosopher, statesman, and playwright whose works on ethics, particularly his letters and essays, emphasize practical Stoic principles like self-control, virtue, and resilience in the face of adversity.
Seneca (4 BCE - 65 CE
Course Status: Planned
86 CE: Destruction Of The Lyceum By The Roman Emperor Sulla
Plutarch (50-120 CE)
Plutarch was a Greek historian, biographer, and essayist best known for his "Parallel Lives," a series of biographies comparing the lives of famous Greeks and Romans, and his moral essays collected in the "Moralia."
Course Status: Planned
A Stoic philosopher who taught that freedom comes from understanding what is in our control and living in accordance with nature.
Epictetus (55-135 CE)
Course Status: Planned
A Roman Emperor and Stoic philosopher, known for his Meditations, which reflect on virtue, duty, and leadership.