Senecas Naturales Quaestiones: Wenn Wissenschaft auf Ethik trifft
Instructors: Chiara FerellaShortname: Ü LatLit
Course No.: 07.095.180
Course Type: Übung
Recommended reading list
Recommended readings will be announced and provided by the instructor at the beginning of the course.Contents
How does the study of lightning, comets, floods, and earthquakes shape our understanding of human existence, the good life, and the divine?In this course, we will explore Seneca’s Naturales Quaestiones, a work that holds a distinctive and independent place within the Senecan corpus—both in its structure and content. At its core lies the investigation of nature, especially selected phenomena from the fields of meteorology and geology. Yet this work goes far beyond the mere observation of natural occurrences.
In this unique and fascinating text, natural philosophy and moral reflection are inseparably intertwined. The Naturales Quaestiones are by no means a purely scientific treatise; rather, they express Seneca’s conviction that the exploration of the cosmos offers a path to self-knowledge, ethical improvement, and spiritual elevation.
We will read the Naturales Quaestiones closely—some passages in the original Latin, others in translation—and examine how Seneca’s study of nature reflects central Stoic themes such as fate, providence, human responsibility, the place of humankind within the cosmos and its relationship to the divine, as well as the limits of human knowledge. Alongside philosophical analysis, we will also consider the literary and rhetorical strategies through which Seneca connects natural science and ethics.
This course invites students interested in Latin literature and language, ancient philosophy, the history of science, and the enduring question of what it means to study nature not for practical utility or detached curiosity, but for the good of the soul.
No prior knowledge of Stoicism or Seneca is required—only curiosity about the world and our place within it.
Additional information
Please note that the class will NOT be held on Friday, November 7.Dates
| Date (Day of the week) | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 10/31/2025 (Friday) | 10:15 - 11:45 | 01 423 P103 1141 - Philosophisches Seminargebäude |
| 11/07/2025 (Friday) | 10:15 - 11:45 | 01 423 P103 1141 - Philosophisches Seminargebäude |
| 11/14/2025 (Friday) | 10:15 - 11:45 | 01 423 P103 1141 - Philosophisches Seminargebäude |
| 11/21/2025 (Friday) | 10:15 - 11:45 | 01 423 P103 1141 - Philosophisches Seminargebäude |
| 11/28/2025 (Friday) | 10:15 - 11:45 | 01 423 P103 1141 - Philosophisches Seminargebäude |
| 12/05/2025 (Friday) | 10:15 - 11:45 | 01 423 P103 1141 - Philosophisches Seminargebäude |
| 12/12/2025 (Friday) | 10:15 - 11:45 | 01 423 P103 1141 - Philosophisches Seminargebäude |
| 12/19/2025 (Friday) | 10:15 - 11:45 | 01 423 P103 1141 - Philosophisches Seminargebäude |
| 01/09/2026 (Friday) | 10:15 - 11:45 | 01 423 P103 1141 - Philosophisches Seminargebäude |
| 01/16/2026 (Friday) | 10:15 - 11:45 | 01 423 P103 1141 - Philosophisches Seminargebäude |
| 01/23/2026 (Friday) | 10:15 - 11:45 | 01 423 P103 1141 - Philosophisches Seminargebäude |
| 01/30/2026 (Friday) | 10:15 - 11:45 | 01 423 P103 1141 - Philosophisches Seminargebäude |
| 02/06/2026 (Friday) | 10:15 - 11:45 | 01 423 P103 1141 - Philosophisches Seminargebäude |
| 02/13/2026 (Friday) | 10:15 - 11:45 | 01 423 P103 1141 - Philosophisches Seminargebäude |
