Tad Brennan
Professor
My interests in Ancient Philosophy are fairly extensive: I read and study over the whole period, from Presocratics to Late Platonists. Most of my publications have come from the center of that period, specifically the Hellenistic era: Epicureans, Stoics, and Skeptics. But I have also published on the Presocratic Anaxagoras, and co-translated a long treatise written by Simplicius, one of the last non-christian Greek philosophers, probably around 530 A.D.I have also published on Aristotle, especially his logical theories. Recently I have been working more on Plato, whom I consider by far the greatest and most interesting of all philosophers (ancient and modern). My topical interests center around ethics, but extend fairly far from that center. The study of ethics in antiquity is always closely linked to theories of psychology and intentional action, and these in turn to theories of epistemology and logic. I have little taste for metaphysical questions narrowly considered, but show me how they make a difference to ethics or psychology and I am instantly avid for metaphysics. Although I have not published on any contemporary topics, and make no effort to give my own work a specious allure to contemporary eyes, I nevertheless enjoy discussing contemporary problems with colleagues and visitors, and like to think that I'm tolerably conversant with a range of recent controversies. I also think that 20th century analytical tools are indispensable for the study of ancient philosophy; this is especially the case with logic. I am equally happy working with students who are interested in the history of philosophy per se, as I am, and students whose interest in historical figures or debates is largely instrumental. I am especially happy to be working with a group of colleagues who value and encourage both historical sensitivity and in-depth familiarity with current debates, and who work to foster both strengths in our students. Books: Ethics and Epistemology in Sextus Empiricus Routledge, 1999 Simplicius’ Commentary on Epictetus Handbook, 1-261 (by Charles Brittain and Tad Brennan) Cornell and Duckworth, 2002 Simplicius’ Commentary on Epictetus’ Handbook, 27-53, volume II (by Tad Brennan and Charles Brittain) Cornell and Duckworth, 2002 The Stoic Life Oxford University Press 2005 Forthcoming: Plato and the Divided Self Edited by Rachel Barney, Tad Brennan, and Charles Brittain Cambridge University Press Epictetus: Works Translated by Tad Brennan and Charles Brittain Cambridge University Press Articles and Chapters: “Socrates and Epictetus” in The Blackwell Companion to Socrates, Rappe & Kamtekar ed.s, 2006 "Stoic Moral Psychology", in The Cambridge Companion to the Stoics, B. Inwood, ed., 2003. "Fate and Free Will in Stoicism", Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy, 2001 "Criterion and Appearance in Sextus Empiricus", reprinted (see below) by request of the editors of Acta Philosophica Fennica, 2000 "Reservation in Stoic Ethics" Archiv Für Geschichte der Philosophie, 2000 "Pyrrho on the Criterion" Ancient Philosophy, 1998 "The Old Stoic Theory of the Emotions", in The Emotions in Hellenistic Philosophy, T. Engberg-Pedersen and J. Sihvola, eds., 1999 "Aristotle's Modal Syllogistic", Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy, 1997 "Epicurus on Sex, Marriage, and Child-Rearing", Classical Philology, 1996 "Reasonable Impressions in Stoicism", Phronesis, 1996 "The Text of Anaxagoras Fragment B.22" American Journal of Philology, 1995 "Two Modal Theses in Metaphysics Theta", Phronesis, 1994 "Criterion and Appearance in Sextus Empiricus", Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies, 1994 Articles Forthcoming: “Pythagorean Number Archai”, forthcoming in the proceedings of the Eleventh Symposium Hellenisticum, Delphi Greece, 2007 “The Stoics on Soul and Body”, forthcoming in the proceedings of the Second Congress of the Gesellschaft für Antike Philosophie, Hamburg, Germany, 2007 “Plato on Spirit”, forthcoming in Plato and the Divided Self
tad.brennan@cornell.edu
Address: 227 Goldwin Smith Hall
Phone: 255-3687
Office Hours: Tuesday, Thursday 12:30 - 1:30
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