...Plato • • • • • • When: 427-347 B.C. Where: Athens, Greece What: Philosophy Teacher: Socrates Student: Aristotle Major Theories to Discuss here: – The Forms: unchanging ideas or patterns of reality, which persist through all time and culture. – Dialectic: question/answer methodology used to discover error in beliefs. – Philosopher Kings filipspagnoli.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/plato3.jpg Plato’s Republic • Perhaps Plato’s best known work. • Form: dialogue • Characters: Socrates, Thrasymachus, Glaucon, Adeimantus • Topic: “What is Justice?” Note on Irony in the Dialogue • The Republic takes place in dialogue with the characters of the work. • But Plato seems to include an additional and unnamed character, namely, the reader of the work. The reader is quietly listening in on the dialogue, not unlike another individual (namely, the sophist Thrasymachus, who is also quietly listening in on the dialogue.) • Socratic wisdom is knowing that one does not know. Socrates often tells us that he does not have knowledge. He simply tests what others say when they say they have knowledge. • So when Socrates explains that he doesn’t really know anything about Justice, there’s a sense in which he’s telling us, the readers, that we don’t either, and that maybe we should listen in and even participate in the dialogue. • This same technique is used in other works by other authors. For example, when Sherlock Holmes insults...
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...Greece. Play—in various forms such as word play, ritual, and music—proved central to the development of Hellenic culture. In ancient Greece, play (paidia) was intrinsically associated with children (paides). However, both children and play assumed a greater cultural significance as literacy—and, consequently, education (paideia)— developed during the classical age of 500–300 BCE. Uniquely among ancient thinkers, Plato recognized that play influenced the way children developed as adults, and he proposed to regulate play for social ends. But Plato’s attitude toward play was ambivalent. Inclined to consider play an unworthy activity for adults, he seemed to suggest that intellectual play in some form, as demonstrated in the dialectical banter of Socrates, could provide a stimulus to understanding. Key words: education in ancient Greece; play and child development; play and education; play and Plato; Socratic dialectic Among various plausible misquotations that surface from time to time is a piece of popular wisdom attributed to Plato to the effect that “you can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” It was quoted by Alaska Governor Sarah Palin in 2009, who took it from a popular American cookbook; the ultimate source may be a seventeenth-century treatise on etiquette by one Richard Lindgard (who does not attribute the quote to Plato). While the great philosopher’s ideas on play were by his own reckoning groundbreaking for his time, his writings...
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...Parmenides (c.515 B.C.-449-40) and especially Socrates (470 B.C-399). However only remnants of the writings of Heraclitus and Parmenides and also nothing left of Socrates. The only evidence that we ever had is Plato’s depiction of his teacher that is the dialog he wrote in his writings about Socrates’s views. Sometimes, it is as if it was Socrates’s writing not Plato because of the many things about Socrates he wrote. Some had said that it was his own views but instead he used Socrates as the speaker. This article also wrote about Plato’s predecessors’ views of the concept that influences his definition of Metaphysics and Epistemology which are Being and Forms. Firstly, Parmenides which he said there is one and only in this world and that is being. The truth is it never change and will never be. Sadly, there is not much we could conclude from Parmenides’s point of view. His concept of being has become Plato’s based of doctrine of Forms. As contrast to Parmenides’s definition of physical world, Heraclitus is the advocate of change. He said that the ordinary objects of physical world are gradually changing. Based on his theory of flux, it affects Plato’s thinking about ordinary material objects. According to the opinions of most scholars, the pivotal inspiration of Plato’s whole imagery is Socrates. Even so, many had asked whether the writing is about Plato’s or Socrates’s own citation because of his mouthpiece about Socrates are too much. Socrates view of...
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...whether it is to support our own self-interest or for the greater good. Plato’s The Republic (Newton 2003) is the premise of the first section, which notes the moral dilemma of the nature of man from a normative standpoint. Juxtapose to the normative view is the empirical view, as claimed by Thucydides, that considers the ethics of imperialism. The second discussion weighs the biblical view against the Utilitarianism view of the individual in society, and how they should act. The biblical and Utilitarianism views agree that humans should act for the greater good of society, however each view differs in its derivation and outcome. Section 1: Athenians The nature of the good life for centuries has been pondered among thousands of sophists. Is it better to live your life selfishly looking out for your own well-being or to look out for the improvement of the society in which you live? Thucydides (c. 421 B.C.E.) claims that is it best, for society, if those that are ‘strong’ enough to lead do so for the common good of society. If your will is convincing enough through manipulation of others or through mere presence for example, then you should be leading those around you towards the good of society, which may also be towards your own desires. Thucydides made all his claims from the roots of empirical evidence. Socrates through Plato (360 B.C.E) describes a different supposition. If the...
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...I. THE THEORY OF THE IDEAS AND PLATO’S ONTOLOGY I. 1. The ontological dualism The theory of the Ideas is the base of Plato’s philosophy: the Ideas are not only the real objects ontologically speaking, but they are the authentically objects of knowledge epistemologically speaking. From the point of view of ethics and politics, they are the foundation of the right behaviour, and anthropologically speaking they are the base of Plato’s dualism and they even allow him demonstrate the immortality of the soul. Plato defends a clear ontological dualism in which there are two types of realities or worlds: the sensible world and the intelligible world or, as he calls it, the world of the Ideas. The Sensible World is the world of individual realities, and so is multiple and constantly changing, is the world of generation and destruction; is the realm of the sensible, material, temporal and space things. On the contrary, the Intelligible World is the world of the universal, eternal and invisible realities called Ideas (or "Forms"), which are immutable and do not change because they are not material, temporal or space. Ideas can be understood and known; they are the authentic reality. The Ideas or Forms are not just concepts or psychic events of our minds; they do exist as objective and independent beings out of our consciences. They are also the origin of sensible things, but although they are the authentic beings, Plato, unlike Parmenides of Elea, do not completely...
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...IRWIN PHILOSOPHY/POP CULTURE S E R I E S R Can drugs take us down the rabbit-hole? R Is Alice a feminist icon? curiouser To learn more about the Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture series, visit www.andphilosophy.com and WILLIAM IRWIN is a professor of philosophy at King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He originated the philosophy and popular culture genre of books as coeditor of the bestselling The Simpsons and Philosophy and has overseen recent titles, including Batman and Philosophy, House and Philosophy, and Watchmen and Philosophy. curiouser RICHARD BRIAN DAVIS is an associate professor of philosophy at Tyndale University College and the coeditor of 24 and Philosophy. R I C H A R D B R I A N D AV I S AND PHILOSOPHY Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland has fascinated children and adults alike for generations. Why does Lewis Carroll introduce us to such oddities as a blue caterpillar who smokes a hookah, a cat whose grin remains after its head has faded away, and a White Queen who lives backward and remembers forward? Is it all just nonsense? Was Carroll under the influence? This book probes the deeper underlying meaning in the Alice books and reveals a world rich with philosophical life lessons. Tapping into some of the greatest philosophical minds that ever lived— Aristotle, Hume, Hobbes, and Nietzsche—Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy explores life’s ultimate questions through the eyes of perhaps the most endearing ...
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... by Plato translated by Benjamin Jowett THEAETETUS PERSONS OF THE DIALOGUE: SOCRATES; THEODORUS; THEAETETUS Euclid and Terpsion meet in front of Euclid's house in Megara; they enter the house, and the dialogue is read to them by a servant. Euclid. Have you only just arrived from the country, Terpsion? Terpsion. No, I came some time ago: and I have been in the Agora looking for you, and wondering that I could not find you. Euc. But I was not in the city. Terp. Where then? Euc. As I was going down to the harbour, I met Theaetetus-he was being carried up to Athens from the army at Corinth. Terp. Was he alive or dead? Euc. He was scarcely alive, for he has been badly wounded; but he was suffering even more from the sickness which has broken out in the army. Terp. The dysentery, you mean? Euc. Yes. Terp. Alas! what a loss he will be! Euc. Yes, Terpsion, he is a noble fellow; only to-day I heard some people highly praising his behaviour in this very battle. Terp. No wonder; I should rather be surprised at hearing anything else of him. But why did he go on, instead of stopping at Megara? Euc. He wanted to get home: although I entreated and advised him to remain he would not listen to me; so I set him on his way, and turned back, and then I remembered what Socrates had said of him, and thought how remarkably this, like all his predictions, had been fulfilled. I believe that he had seen...
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...In Conjunction with History of Ethics Instructor: Robert Cavalier Teaching Professor Robert Cavalier received his BA from New York University and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Duquesne University. In 1987 he joined the staff at Carnegie Mellon's Center for Design of Educational Computing (CDEC), where he became Executive Director in 1991. While at CDEC, he was also co-principal in the 1989 EDUCOM award winner for Best Humanities Software (published in 1996 by Routledge as A Right to Die? The Dax Cowart Case). He also coauthored the CD-ROM The Issue of Abortion in America (Rountledge, 1998) Dr. Cavalier was Director of CMU's Center for the Advancement of Applied Ethics and Political Philosophy from 2005-2007. He currently directs the Center's Digital Media Lab which houses Project PICOLA (Public Informed Citizen Online Assembly), and is also co-Director of Southwestern Pennsylvania Program for Deliberative Democracy. Co-Editor of Ethics in the History of Western Philosophy (St. Martin's/Macmillan, England, 1990), Editor of The Impact of the Internet on Our Moral Lives (SUNY, 2003) and other works in ethics as well as articles in educational computing, Dr. Cavalier is internationally recognized for his work in education and interactive multimedia. He was President of the "International Association for Computing and Philosophy" (2001 - 2004) and Chair of the APA Committee on Philosophy and Computers (2000-2003). Dr. Cavalier has given numerous addresses and...
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...(428/427 BC – 348/ 347 BC) was an ancient Greek philosopher, the second of the great trio of ancient Greeks –Socrates, Plato, originally named Aristocles, and Aris- totle– who between them laid the philosophical foundations of Western culture. Plato was also a mathematician, writer of philosophical dia- logues, and founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the western world. Plato is widely believed to have been a student of Socrates and to have been deeply influenced by his teacher's unjust death. Plato's brilliance as a writer and thinker can be witnessed by reading his Socratic dialogues. Some of the dialogues, let- ters, and other works that are ascribed to him are considered spurious. Plato is thought to have lectured at the Academy, although the pedago- gical function of his dialogues, if any, is not known with certainty. They have historically been used to teach philosophy, logic, rhetoric, mathem- atics, and other subjects about which he wrote. Source: Wikipedia Also available on Feedbooks for Plato: • The Complete Plato (-347) • The Republic (-380) • Symposium(-400) • Charmides(-400) • Protagoras(-400) • Statesman(-400) • Ion(-400) • Crito(-400) • Meno(-400) • Phaedo(-400) Note: This book is brought to you by Feedbooks http://www.feedbooks.com Strictly for personal use, do not use this file for commercial purposes. 2 Socrates' Defense How you have felt, O men of Athens, at hearing the speeches of my ac- cusers, I cannot tell;...
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...malfeasance in office, retired from public life, and took up historiography. Sallust’s two extant monographs take as their theme the moral and political decline of Rome, one on the conspiracy of Catiline and the other on the war with Jugurtha. For this edition, J. C. Rolfe’s text and translation of the Catiline and Jugurtha have been thoroughly revised in line with the most recent scholarship. Vol. I. ISBN 978-0-674-99684-7 LCL TRANSLATED BY E. C. MARCHANT O. J. TODD REVISED BY JEFFREY HENDERSON This volume collects Xenophon’s (c. 430 to c. 354 BC) portrayals of his associate, Socrates. In Memorabilia (or Memoirs of Socrates) and in Oeconomicus, a dialogue about household management, we see the philosopher through Xenophon’s eyes. Here, as in the accompanying Symposium, we also obtain insight on life in Athens. The volume concludes with Xenophon’s Apology, an interesting complement to Plato’s account of Socrates’ defense at his trial. All volumes in the Loeb Xenophon Vol. I. ISBN 978-0-674-99098-2 Vol. II. ISBN 978-0-674-99099-9 Vol. III. ISBN 978-0-674-99101-9 Vol. IV. ISBN 978-0-674-99695-3 Vol. V. ISBN 978-0-674-99057-9 Vol. VI. ISBN 978-0-674-99058-6 Vol. VII. ISBN...
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...\nvt'$ mvmj of thf "i'emW^ le$t ^mH, THE DISCOURSES OF EPICTETUS. WITH THE ENCHEIRIDION AND FRAGMENTS. TRANSLATED, AND A WITH VIEW NOTES, OF HIS A LIFE OF EPICTETUS, PUILO80PUY. By GEOKGE long, M.A. NEW YORK: A. L. BURT, PUBLISHER, EPICTETUS. Very that he little was a is known* native of and of the life of in Epictetus. Phrygia, the in Maeander the a it is saia Hierapolis, a town tween be- the the to Mgeander branch of named of Paul it in the of Lyons. the Hierapolis of Colossi that time is mentioned epistle from people (Coloss. there of the was iv. a 13); which church date of fact his master has been concluded at Christian The Hierapolis birth of the apostie. The Epictetus life is that is unknown. he a was a only Rome, recorded and of broke the his was early slave in Epaphroditus, There is a profligate that the freedman master to on emperor his slave's dence evi- Nero, story leg by torturing of or him; but the that it is better trust to the Simplicins, who an commentator the weak how Encheiridion in he Manual, from but says Epictetus It is not in was body became that found and a lame early age. said modern slave; parents it has the this ...
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...ARRIAN EXERCISE ------------------------------------------------- Key: ------------------------------------------------- [E] = quote from Epictetus ------------------------------------------------- [S]= quote from Seneca ------------------------------------------------- [MA] =quote from Marcus Aurelius 1. Introduction –God, Oneself and the Three Topoi Know this, prokoptôn: God is the Soul, Creator and Sustainer of the Cosmos. Indeed one‘s mind (logos) is a fragment of God’s mind (the Divine Logos). One must go whither God wishes, whether or not one wants to. This is the Divine law of nature. However, to willingly go where God wills one is virtuous. A virtuous life is a life that accords with the nature of God and with one’s own nature. A truly happy life is a virtuous life. To live well, in all its myriad forms, and to secure eudaimonia ('happiness' or 'a flourishing life') is to be virtuous. Only through mastering one’s opinions, judgements, intentions and desires, can one be fully virtuous. The Three Topoi are three areas of study that help one in training to become good and noble, befitting all human beings, namely: “That concerning desires and aversions, so that he may never fail to get what he desires nor fall into what he would avoid (this corresponds with Stoic physics).” [E] “That concerning the impulse to act and not to act, and, in general, appropriate behaviour; so that he may act in an orderly manner and after due consideration, and not carelessly...
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...S ARAH B ROWN W ESSLING 2010 N ATIONAL T EACHER OF THE Y EAR M A K I N G A D I F F E R E N C E – S H A P I N G T H E F U T U R E SARAH BROWN WESSLING 2010 Iowa Teacher of the Year Johnston High School Johnston, IA School profile: Students in district: Students in building: Suburban 5700 1250 Teaching area: Teaching level: Years in teaching: Years in present position: 2010 National Teacher of the Year Sarah Brown Wessling English 10 - 12 11 10 Page 1 II. Educational History and Professional Development Activities: DEEPENING THE LAYERS ACADEMIC BACKGROUND Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. Master of Arts, August, 2003. • MAJOR: English. Specialization: Literature. • THESIS TITLE: Using Literary Theory in an Advanced Placement English Classroom. • AWARDS: o Excellence in Research for Master's thesis, 2003. o Albert Walker Excellence in English Award, 2003. o Critical Writing Award (for critical scholarship), 2003. Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. Bachelor of Arts, Graduated with distinction, May 1998. • MAJOR: English Education. • Honors: o Phi Beta Kappa Liberal Arts and Sciences Honor Society, 1998. o Mortar Board Honor Society, VICE PRESIDENT, 1997-1998. o Phi Kappa Phi International Honor Society, 1997-1998. o Kappa Delta Pi, FOUNDATION REPRESENTATIVE, 1997-1998. o Golden Key National Honor Society, 1996-1998. o Dean's List: 1995-1998. EMPLOYMENT HISTORY Johnston Community School District, Johnston...
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...4 March: City of God – Utopian Reader – include a little bit on it – 22 volumes in all. Christianity – Augustine – classicly trained greek scholar. City in north Africa. Story like apostle Paul – orginially a person who persecuted Christians – north African wealth family from – found enlightenment in Christianity. Once he joined became one of the early scholars trained in greek – regulized Christian theology. Influence on western world – top four or five who influenced. Confessions and City of God his writings…look up! What’s the purpose of improving human society – complex – why do it? Can human society be made better? Why bother, what is the point, justification? Takes effort, misery involved, change, unknowns, takes energy, takes risks. HAPPINESS – justification for improving society. What do you have to have to be happy? What is happiness – PHI 101 – happiness according to whom? Lack of misery; literally the elimination of misery. Secondly, food – gives pleasure – Happiness is lack of human misery and maximizing /pleasure and happiness. Bliss 24/7 – hedonism Epicureanism – eliminating misery and maximizing happiness. The justification of utopianism = why did plato want the republic? Justisifcation for improving human society among the Greeks? Poor always poor, always unhappy, death claims everyone - it is rational to maximize pleasure and eliminate misery. Do eternally accouding to plato. Opinions – 1. Relativism is a retreat in the 20th century. Can’t...
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...Utilitarianism ●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●● 1. Introduction Utilitarianism is one of the most powerful and persuasive approaches to normative ethics in the history of philosophy. Though not fully articulated until the 19th century, proto-utilitarian positions can be discerned throughout the history of ethical theory. Though there are many varieties of the view discussed, utilitarianism is generally held to be the view that the morally right action is the action that produces the most good. There are many ways to spell out this general claim. One thing to note is that the theory is a form of consequentialism: the right action is understood entirely in terms of consequences produced. What distinguishes utilitarianism from egoism has to do with the scope of the relevant consequences. On the utilitarian view one ought to maximize the overall good — that is, consider the good of others as well as one's own good. The Classical Utilitarians, Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill, identified the good with pleasure, so, like Epicurus, were hedonists about value. They also held that we ought to maximize the good, that is, bring about ‘the greatest amount of good for the greatest number’. Utilitarianism is also distinguished by impartiality and agent-neutrality. Everyone's happiness counts the same. When one maximizes the good, it is the good impartially considered. My good count for no more than anyone else’s good. Further, the reason I have to promote the overall good is the same...
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