Course
Philosophy
History of western philosophy: Antiquity, Middle Ages, Modernity, German idealism and 20th century philosophy
Part of the Antiquity track — finish it for a verifiable diploma →
§ 01 — Orientation
New here?
What you'll be able to do, who this is for, how long it takes, and where to begin.
By the end, you will be able to
- 01Trace the big ideas across the history of philosophy.
- 02Analyze an argument the way a philosopher does.
- 03Engage core questions of reality and knowledge.
- 04Tell rigorous reasoning from rhetoric.
- 05Bring philosophy to bear on how you live.
Who this is for
How long it takes
- Quick orientationSkim the opening module and the cheatsheet to get the shape of it.~2 h
- Full read-throughRead every article once, in order.~2 h
- Mastery pathRead, take the quizzes, and space out your reviews.~2 weeks
- APA
Stoa. (2026). Philosophy [Online course]. Stoa. https://stoa.school/course/philosophy
- MLA
Stoa. “Philosophy.” Stoa, 2026, https://stoa.school/course/philosophy.
- Chicago
Stoa. “Philosophy.” Stoa. Accessed August 31, 2026. https://stoa.school/course/philosophy.
§ 02 — Curriculum
8 modules.
Each module is a small unit. Most read in sequence — but a determined reader can begin anywhere.
- M IAncient PhilosophySocrates, Plato, Aristotle, and the beginnings of Western thought3 articles
18 minBegin → - M IIMedieval and Renaissance PhilosophyAugustine, Thomas Aquinas, Montaigne, and the transition to the modern era3 articles
18 minBegin → - M IIIEarly Modern PhilosophyDescartes, Locke, Hume, Kant, and the emergence of the modern subject3 articles
18 minBegin → - M IVContemporary PhilosophyNietzsche, phenomenology, analytic philosophy, and poststructuralism3 articles
18 minBegin → - M VThe 19th Century: Hegel, Marx, NietzscheDialectics, historical materialism, and the revaluation of values3 articles
18 minBegin → - M VIPhenomenology and ExistentialismHusserl, Heidegger, Sartre: consciousness, being, and freedom3 articles
18 minBegin → - M VIIThe Analytic Tradition and the Linguistic TurnFrege, Wittgenstein, Quine: logic, language, and the limits of knowledge3 articles
18 minBegin → - M VIIIPhilosophy in the 21st CenturyConsciousness, the ethics of technology, and ecological thought3 articles
18 minBegin →
§ 03 — Learning outcomes
4 outcomes.
Navigate the key periods and figures of the Western philosophical tradition
Apply philosophical methods of analysis to texts, arguments, and concepts
Understand key problems of being, knowledge, and truth
Relate philosophical ideas to contemporary issues in ethics, politics, and culture
§ 04 — Practices