Why’d You Do It? Exploring the Human Psyche and its Motivations, From Ancient Mythology to Modern Science

Why do we do what we do? What shapes our thoughts and decision-making processes, and what leads us to take certain actions? This question, essential to every aspect of our daily existence, was repeatedly raised and explored by the Ancient Greeks, bearing to this day on our complex understanding of ourselves and our agency. This course offers an exploration of these ancient myths and their storytelling – from the Babylonian epic of Gilgamesh to Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, to the heroes and heroines and gods and goddesses of Greek tragedy. It pays close attention to how the ancient poets stress the multiplicity of factors that come into play in a given moment of decision-making (and the action that ensues): divine influence, madness, “fate,” and last but certainly not least, a wide range of human emotions: anger, fear, pity, love, disgust, grief, and shame, to name but a few.