Due:
Tuesday, July 9
Basic
assignment: Write a 3-5 page (typed, double-spaced) paper explaining and
supporting your position on some issue raised by Plato in one of the five
dialogues we read or in our class discussion of Plato.
Some
guidelines:
1. Your paper should
contain your thoughts and opinions, not just Plato’s or someone else’s. Tell me what you think, not just what
other people have said.
2. At the same time, I do want you to address Plato’s thoughts: your topic should be reasonably related to something Plato said, and your paper should take some care to show that you have understood what Plato said. Give references to the text to support your interpretation of Plato’s view.
3. Be sure that the
question or issue your paper is addressing is clear and well focused.
4. Be sure that you have
provided a clear statement of your position on that issue (or your answer to
that question).
Some possible topics:
1.
Socrates’ argument (in the
Apology) that death is a blessing.
2.
Socrates’ argument (in the Crito) that it would be wrong for him to
escape from prison.
3.
Socrates’ argument in the Meno that knowledge must be recollection.
4. Can
virtue be taught?
5. One
of Socrates’’ reasons for claiming that the soul survives death.
6. Socrates’ argument (in the Phaedo) that
experience cannot give us knowledge of general concepts (or Forms) like Equality.