PART III: PLATO

02/01 Plato -- Introduction

• Readings:
  • CCGRP, chapter 4
  • Plato, Seventh Letter(on the mit web site)

• Homework 3:
  1. What were Plato's first plans for his carrier? Why did he give it up? Did he give up all political actions?
  2. Explain how Plato's plans to make Syracuse a better place failed.
  3. What does Plato think about writing philosophy? Why? Make sure to analyse and quote the Seventh Letter.
  4. What do these ideas about writing imply concerning our reading of the Dialogues?
  5. What are the central ideas of the philosophy of Plato?

• Course Notes: Chapter 5

02/06 Talking about Papers...

02/08 Plato -- The Challenge to Justice

• Readings:
  • Required : Plato, Republic I and II
  • Recommended: Eric Brown, "Plato's Ethics and Politics in The Republic", SEP

• Homework :
  1. What is Thrasymachus' argument in favor of the thesis that the tyrant is the happiest of all men?
  2. What is Socrates answer to this argument?
  3. Give an outline of the argument in Glaucon's speech.
  4. Socrates and his interlocutors come to the idea to create "a city in theory from its very beginning". Why does such a city need guardians?
  5. What are the natural characteristics needed to make a good guardian?

• Course Notes: Chapter 6

02/13 PEER REVIEW -- MANDATORY -- Come in class with your paper

02/15 Th Plato -- Ethics and Politics

• Readings:
  • Required: Plato, Republic III, IV, and V until 474a
    Note that the reading is heavy, but counts for two classes.

  • Recommended: Slote, "Ethics and Politics in the Republic" SEP

• Homework :
  Give a short answer to the following questions on the basis of the readings:
  1. Why do you think Socrates seeks a definition of justice as a virtue of a city? How can that help to define justice as a virtue of an individual human soul?
  2. What is the main principle that guides the construction of the ideal city?
  3. Explain the reasons given by Socrates in favor of censorship of literature, art and music. What kind of imitation is allowed in the ideal city?
  4. Why is it forbidden to the guardians to possess anything?
  5. What is Socrates' answer to Adeimantes' objection that the guardians won't be happy in the ideal city?
  6. Why is wealth and poverty to be avoided in the city?
  7. Why does Plato think education is important?
  8. What is Socrates argument in favor of the thesis that the appetitive principle and the rational principle are separated?
  9. What are wisdom, courage, moderation and justice in the city?
  10. What are wisdom, courage, moderation and justice in the soul?
  11. What is the status of women in the city?
  12. How is organized the reproduction?
  13. What is the only condition under which the ideal city can be realized?
• Course Notes: Chapter 7

02/20 Plato -- Ethics and Politics, continued

• Course Notes: Chapter 8

02/22 Tu Plato -- Introduction to the Theory of Forms

02/27 Th Plato -- Theory of Forms -- Paradox of inquiry and doctrine of recollection

• Homework:
  • Readings: Plato, Meno until 86c

  • Questions:
    Give a short answer to the following questions on the basis of the readings:
    1. Explain why Socrates does not find Meno's definitions of virtue (71e, 73d and77b) acceptable? What is the major thesis he is defending here?
    2. Lay out the steps of the argument in favor of the thesis that "no one wants what is bad" 77c-78b
    3. Explain the paradox of inquiry (80d-e) in details. Do you think it is a fair concern?
    4. How does the doctrine of recollection answer to this concern?
    5. Draw the figures on which Socrates and the slave boy are working.
    6. Do you think the experiment adequately proves the doctrine of recollection?

• Course notes: Chapter 9

IMPORTANT CHANGE IN SYLLABUS: FROM NOW ON, THE SURPRISE QUIZZES WILL BE STRICTLY BASED ON THE STUDY QUESTIONS. YOU ARE NOW ALLOWED TO USE YOUR PERSONAL NOTES ON THE READINGS TO ANSWER THE SURPRISE QUIZZES IN CLASS.

03/01 Tu Plato -- Theory of Forms -- -- Argument from Imperfection

• Homework
  • Readings: Plato, Phaedo until 77a
  • Questions :
    1. Why does the true philosopher gladly accept upcoming death? Write an outline of the argument 63e-68b
    2. Give an outline of the argument for immortality in 74-77. What kind of conclusion does Socrates draw with this argument?
    3. The argument in 74-76 for the immortality of the soul contains an argument for the existence of the forms in 74b-e. Try to reconstruct the argument.
    4. Does it sound reasonable to you? Is there any move(s)in the argument of 74-77 to which you would object?
    5. In 65c, Plato claims that the senses are an obstacle to good reasoning. In 74b, he claims that learn about the forms from sensible experience. How do you think these two seemingly contradictory claims stand together in Plato's view?

• Course Notes: Chapter 10

03/06 Th Plato -- Argument from knowledge

• Homework :
  • Readings: Plato, Phaedo 77a-84c and 95e-102a, and Republic end of V
  • Questions:
    1. Compare the two kinds of existence, the forms and the sensible things. What are their respective characteristics?
    2. Explain why and in what sense the forms are said to be true causes?
    3. Give a detailed outline of \emph{Republic}, V, 476a-end
• Course Notes: Chapter 11

03/08 Tu Plato -- Sun, Line and Cave

• Readings: Plato, Republic VI and VII

• Homework :
  1. Why is it crucial for the guardians to learn about the form of the good?
  2. Draw a table with the different elements of correspondence in the analogy between the sun and the good.
  3. Draw the line with, in each section, the proper kind of object and the corresponding condition of the soul.
  4. What are the two characteristics of thought (third section of the line: 510b-511a)
  5. What are the four stages in the cave? How do they correspond to the sections of the divided line?
• Course Notes: ALL CHAPTERS 1 TO 12

SPRING BREAK

03/20 MID-TERM EXAM