How is Apology and Phaedo going?
How’s your Plato reading going?
How do you like Socrates’ defense in Apology? Are you inspired, surprised?
For those of you who have read Herodotus and Thucydides – you know much more about the political and historical context than you might otherwise. What do you make of Socrates’ trial in 399? Some way the real motivation was Socrates’ support of the oligarchy. What do you think?
How about Phaedo?
As the editor notes in his introduction, Phaedo contradicts some of what Socrates says in Apology – and many commentators see Phaedo as Plato’s early thinking on the “forms” that show up in The Republic (which we’ll be reading in the fall).
Fun question: Do you like the argument for why souls must go to the underworld?
Finally, the perennial question, why are we reading Plato? What are your initial thoughts on the relevance or value of reading this ancient Greek philosopher?
Phil
03. April 2008 by Arrian
Categories: Commentary, Plato |
Tags: Plato |
Comments Off on How is Apology and Phaedo going?
How is Apology and Phaedo going?
How’s your Plato reading going?
How do you like Socrates’ defense in Apology? Are you inspired, surprised?
For those of you who have read Herodotus and Thucydides – you know much more about the political and historical context than you might otherwise. What do you make of Socrates’ trial in 399? Some way the real motivation was Socrates’ support of the oligarchy. What do you think?
How about Phaedo?
As the editor notes in his introduction, Phaedo contradicts some of what Socrates says in Apology – and many commentators see Phaedo as Plato’s early thinking on the “forms” that show up in The Republic (which we’ll be reading in the fall).
Fun question: Do you like the argument for why souls must go to the underworld?
Finally, the perennial question, why are we reading Plato? What are your initial thoughts on the relevance or value of reading this ancient Greek philosopher?
Phil
03. April 2008 by Arrian
Categories: Commentary, Plato | Tags: Plato | Comments Off on How is Apology and Phaedo going?