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- What would Plato and/or Socrates1 say about our society (define this as
broadly or narrowly as you want)? What would Aristotle say? (Again,
you could possibly try to bring in other sources, as well.) Warning:
for a paper on this topic to be good it will almost certainly have to
present opinions which are recognizably not just those of some
contemporary political faction. However, if you think (this is not a
foregone conclusion) that Plato, Socrates, or Aristotle would
criticize some or all of us, you could (probably should) say a few
words about how we might defend ourselves. Final note: you could also
try using some material from the South Park movie here. But be
very careful how you do that.
- Who is happy/fortunate/blessed? That is: (1) what kind of things
count as happiness or good fortune and/or (2) what kind of factors can
bring about happiness or good fortune in someone's life? What would
Plato and/or Socrates say, and what would Aristotle say (in response)?
Here there is obviously more room to discuss Homer, as well. (For
example: to what extent is Aristotle defending traditional notions
against Plato and/or Socrates' attack, and to what extent does he
agree with their attack?) (Note: do not take ``happiness'' to
be the name of a feeling, something like cheerfulness: we
discussed this in class!)
- Return of a previous topic: the status of women. How do Socrates
and/or Plato attack traditional ideas about this? Why? (How is this
related to broader issues?) Are they serious? (Are they feminists?)
What is Aristotle's response? (You may, but don't have to, use the
Iliad as a source of information about what the ``traditional
ideas'' were. If you do, you can't necessarily assume either
that Homer presents a simple and consistent picture, or that Athenian
women in the 5th century BC are exactly like Homer's
women. Aristophanes might also be relevant.)
- Return of another topic: the gods (and ``piety''). Did Socrates
and/or Plato introduce new gods and/or attack belief in the
traditional gods and/or attack belief in any gods whatsoever? How and
why? How does Aristotle respond? (If you want to write about this, you
might be interested in Aristotle's explicit statements about the
nature of God/the gods in the Metaphysics and elsewhere. I'll
be happy to provide copies of some relevant passages if people are
interested. We'll be reading a little of that material next quarter.)
- What is or are wisdom and philosophy? (For example: are they a
kind of knowledge and/or ``art,'' and if so what kind?) Should we want
them and why? What do Plato and/or Socrates think? (What they say and
what they think might be different.) What about Aristotle? How
are these positions related to traditional ideas and/or to other
contemporary Greek ideas? (E.g., think of Nestor, Odysseus, Ion,
Euthyphro, Meno/Gorgias, Euthydemus/Dionysiodorus.)
- What is virtue, what is teaching, and can virtue (whatever that
is) be taught (whatever that is)? What do Plato and/or Socrates think?
(What do Meno and/or Anytus think, before and after Socrates talks to
them?) Was Socrates virtuous? Did Socrates teach virtue? (Did he teach
Plato? Did he teach him virtue?) What does Aristotle say about all or
any of the above, and why? (Did Plato teach Aristotle? Did he teach
him virtue?) Optionally: how do any of these positions relate to older
views (e.g. to the views of Homer and/or his characters about the
nature of courage)?
- Compare Socrates with Aristotelian virtue. How would Socrates
react to Aristotle's definition of virtue? Would he attack it? If so,
how--hasn't it been designed specifically to repel his usual attacks?
If not, why not, given that he always seems to attack people's
definitions? (Is there something about Aristotle's definition which
would please Socrates?) If you think Socrates would attack,
would Aristotle be able to defend himself, and how? Another angle:
does Socrates himself seem to be virtuous according to Aristotle's
definition, and, if not, then how, if at all, could he defend himself,
or how could Plato defend him? (Do they think that Aristotle has
missed some kind of virtue? Or that Socrates really does meet
Aristotle's definition, though he seems not to?) Another angle: would
Aristotle take the side of Socrates' accusers? If he wouldn't, then
how would he defend Socrates against them--the same way Socrates
defends himself in the Apology, or a different way? If he
would, then how would he answer Socrates' arguments in his own
defense?
Next: About this document ...
Up: HUMA 11500, Autumn 2003,
Previous: Instructions
Abe Stone
2005-09-28