Some more notes on the Republic 

1.  Book I:  Review the Thrasymachus dialogue
2.  Book II:  Glaucon's challenge:  why be just? - appearance and reality of justice; justice in itself (the question:  why be moral?)
a.  368d; eyesight, the soul and the city; Digress on psyche; discuss this as a problem that lasts . . .
b.  Building the city; the discussion of the 1st city up to 372e.
c. The next city and the need for guardians;  discuss parallel of varnas . . .
d.  education of the guardians (who/what will guard the guardians?)
3.  Book III  The rations of the guardians
4.  Book IV:  the virtues of the different kinds of people in the city . . .; parts of the soul - the argument for
Book V:  Discuss the issue of coeducation in the Republic; the enduring presence of the arguments
Book VI:  The line
Book VII:  The Cave (Extra credit:  write an essay on the film The Matrix, considering it as (among other things)) a retelling of Plato's myth of the cave.)
Book IX:  Eyesight again; Comparing the letters

M. Kagan
Le Moyne College
2/16/01
 
  • Notes on Crito and Republic . . .

    • For the extra credit assignment comparing Dr. King's approach to that of Socrates in the Crito:
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