The paper (3-5 pages long) is due Wed., Dec. 10, in my office, Gates-Blake 228, by 4:30pm. Gates-Blake is the building connected to Cobb. (I am setting the 4:30pm limit mostly because Gates-Blake gets locked at some point in the evening--I'm not sure exactly when.)
As in the case of the other papers: the below topics
are suggestions. If you want to write on another topic, feel free to
do so. It might be a good idea, however, in that case, to check with
me and/or Justin first.
There are two difficult but important distinctions
which can potentially be drawn between Socrates and Plato: (1) between
Plato's Socrates and Socrates as he really was; (2) between Plato's
character Socrates and Plato himself. I use the phrase Plato
and/or Socrates below to indicate that you might want to make
either or both of these distinctions. (For the purposes of distinction
(1), data from Aristophanes could obviously be important, though there
might be other ways of guessing. I actually recommend against trying
to do much with this one, however.) (Note also that Plato might not
always portray Socrates in the same way--Socrates in the Apology, in the Ion, in the Meno, in the Republic, might all be different.)
All of the below topics require you to use material
from both Plato and Aristotle. As I just mentioned, Aristophanes could
be important as well. In addition, all of the topics allow (though
none require) the use of Homer. But even if you do use the Clouds and/or the Iliad, please make sure that both Plato
and Aristotle play an important role in your paper.
With some of the below topics you may be tempted to
present mostly your own views about some subject. Try to focus more on
Plato and/or Socrates and Aristotle--which is not to say that you can
or should keep your own opinions entirely out of it.
Refer to Plato by Stephanus numbers and Aristotle by
Becker numbers. As before, use book and line number for Homer and line
numbers for Aristophanes. In all these cases, you need give
information about the translation you used only if it's different from
the one I ordered. Once again, you need give full bibliographical
references only if you for some reason bring in an outside source.