Suggested Topics

1. 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.

2. 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!)

3. 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.)

4. 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.)

5. 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.)

6. 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)?

7. 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?