Module I — Before Philosophy
Work 1 of 3 · ~8th century BCE
We start with the Iliad because it is here, for the first time in Western literature, that we experience a self distinct from community. We glimpse a consciousness aware of their own feelings and choices: Achilles' grief, pride and anger are wrestled with internally. Compared to the traditional self defined purely by its social role—duty, lineage, and communal expectation—Achilles begins to pursue goals that reflect personal desire. In him, we see the first hints at a self responsible for their own fate—the emergence of an indepedent, self-shaping agent.
Before diving into the Iliad, it is important to briefly examine its author, Homer. In scholarly circles, the question of his identity is known as the Homeric question: historians and academics remain uncertain whether Homer was a single historical figure or a symbolic representation of a long oral tradition. Accounts of Homer's life are largely legendary: he is said to have been a blind bard—a professional storyteller who memorized a vast repository of verses and musical compositions—living in what is now present-day Turkey and the Greek islands.
What matters most, however, is not whether Homer truly existed, but the historical context of his work and its influence on ancient Greek culture. Homeric poems idealized heroism, glory, and honor—traits that shaped the lives of the Greek populace. A recurring theme throughout this project is education. We are who we are today not only because of the values instilled by our families, but also because the influences embedded in the systems around us—the books we read, the conversations we engage in, and, and in some regimes, the lessons enforced by those in power.
As we explore the Homeric poems, let us observe how identity, honor and duty are socially constructed in his writing. Does an underlying self exist independently of these traits? Does a self emerge only in moments of intentional, willed behaviour? Questioning will be far more enligthening than seeking a single "right answer" as we begin this journey.