Protagoras

1. Describe the dramatic setting of the dialogue.
2. Explain Socrates’ views on the relationship among the virtues. (309c, 329c–333, 361d)
3. How are sophists viewed in this dialogue? Who were the sophists?
4. How does Hippocrates define a sophist? (312c–d)
5. How does Socrates define a sophist? (313c) What warning does he give Hippocrates about exposing himself to a sophist? (313a –314a)
6. What reputation does Protagoras say sophists have among most people? (316d)
7. Why does Socrates think the art of citizenship cannot be taught? (319b–320a)
8. Describe Protagoras’ story about how humans received justice and shame. (320d–322d)
9. Explain Protagoras’ first argument that civic virtue is teachable. (323d–324a)
10. Explain Protagoras’ second argument that virtue is teachable. (324b–c)
11. Explain Protagoras’ views about who teaches and who learns virtue.
12. Explain Socrates’ argument for the unity of virtue. (332a–333a)
13. What is Socrates’ view about being versus becoming? (340b–d)
14. Explain Socrates’ view that no one errs willingly. (345e)
15. Explain Socrates’ argument that wisdom is courage. (350c)
16. Explain Socrates’ critique of the idea that someone can be ‘overcome by pleasure.’ (353a–357e)
17. Explain Socrates’ view that everyone seeks the apparent good. (358d)
18. How does Socrates define courage? (360d)

Gorgias

1. What does Gorgias say he teaches and how does he describe it? (452d–e)
2. What two types of persuasion does Socrates distinguish? (454e)
3. What does Socrates say is the worst thing? (458a)
4. How does Socrates show that Gorgias contradicts himself about oratory? (456–461a)
5. What kind of a thing does Socrates say oratory is? (462b–c)
6. Draw a diagram illustrating the various parts of flattery that Socrates describes. (463–464)
7. Why does Socrates think oratory is shameful? (463d)
8. Draw a diagram illustrating how the two parts of true care of the body parallel the two parts of false care of the body, and how these correspond to the two parts of true care of the soul and the two parts of false care of the soul. (464b–c)
9. Explain Socrates’ reasons for thinking that orators and tyrants don’t do what they want. (467b–468d)
10. Explain Socrates’ view that doing what is unjust and not being punished is the worst, that doing what is unjust and being punished for it is less bad, that suffering what is unjust is better than either of the former two, and that not doing anything unjust is best. (472e–478e)
11. Contrast Socrates’ method of inquiry with Gorgias’. (474a–b)
12. Explain Socrates’ argument that doing injustice is worse than suffering it. (474d–475d)
13. Explain Socrates’ argument that someone who is justly punished is benefited. (476b–479e)
14. What are Socrates’ two loves and how do they differ? (481c–482c)
15. What does Socrates say about ‘harmony with himself’ versus the majority agreeing with him? (482b)
16. Explain Callicles’ view of what is just. (483a–486b)
17. What is Callicles’ view of how to live correctly? (491e–492c)
18. What kind of life does Socrates think we should choose? (493c) What simile does he use to make his case? (493d–494a)
19. What is one requirement of Socrates’ method of elenchus? (495a)
20. Explain Socrates’ reasoning that what is pleasant is different from what is good. (495e–499b)
21. How does Socrates contrast pastry-baking with medicine? (500e–501a)
22. What does Socrates think about flute-playing, lyre-playing, training choruses, composing dithyrambs, singing, and composing tragedy? (501d–502c)
23. Explain Socrates’ argument for the necessity of self-control. (505–508)
24. What does Socrates say about a corrupt person’s life? (512b)
25. What does Socrates say he, as one of only a few Athenians, does? (521d–522a)
26. Describe the myth Socrates relates at the end of the dialogue. (523a–526d)

Phaedrus

1. Describe the dramatic setting of the dialogue.
2. Why does Socrates say he has no time to demythologize myths? (229c–230a)
3. What does Socrates say he can and cannot learn from? (230d)
4. Describe the thesis and the argument for it in Lysias’ speech. (230e–234c)
5. What two principles rule human beings, according to Socrates? (237d)
6. What does Socrates say most improves a boy’s mind? (239b)
7. Explain the argument of Socrates’ first speech. (237b–241d)
8. What is Socrates’ attitude about his first speech? (237b, 242c)
9. What is the thesis of Socrates’ second speech? (244a)
10. What are the four kinds of beneficial divine madness Socrates identifies? (244b–245a, 249d–e)
11. Which divinities are associated with each of the four kinds of madness? (265b)
12. Describe Socrates’ argument that every soul is immortal. (245c–e)
13. Describe the famous simile of the soul Socrates uses in his second speech (246a–b) and how he uses it to give an account of incarnation (246–249).
14. Describe Socrates’ account of how beauty and love triggers the soul’s recollection of true reality. (249–256)
15. What does Socrates say is his expertise? (257a and Symposium 177d–e, 193e)
16. Explain Socrates’ analysis of what distinguishes good from bad writing. (258d–264c)
17. Explain the two different methods of proper intellectual investigation that Socrates describes. (263b, 265d–266b, 273d–e)
18. Describe Socrates’ story of Theuth and Thamus (274c–275b). What does he use this myth to show?
19. Socrates identifies six requirements for writing speeches artfully. What are they? (277b–c)
20. What kind of matters is it shameful to write about and why? What is the proper purpose of writing? (277d–278d)

Symposium

1. Describe the dramatic setting of the dialogue.
2. Who relates the story of dialogue? How did he come to know it?
3. Why is Socrates late to arrive at the banquet?
4. Why does Agathon want Socrates to sit next to him?
5. What guidance does Phaedrus say Love imparts? (178d) Before whom do we feel shame, according to him? (178d)
6. What two kinds of Love does Pausanius distinguish? Describe each. Who experiences each?
7. Summarize Eryximachus’ speech. (185e–189d)
8. Describe Aristophanes’ speech. (189d–193d) How can the human race flourish, according to him? (193c)
9. What do Agathon and Socrates say about feeling fear/shame in front of a crowd vs. in front of a few wise men? (194b–c)
10. What qualities (I counted a dozen) does Agathon ascribe to Love in his speech?
11. Describe how Agathon praises Love. (197d–e)
12. How does Socrates say his speech will differ from the preceding ones? (198d–199b)
13. What analysis of Love is the outcome of Socrates’ elenchus with Agathon? (199c–201c)
14. What analysis of Love is the outcome of the reported elenchus with Diotima? (201d–203b)
15. Who are Love’s parents, according to Diotima? (203c)
16. Explain why Love must be a lover of wisdom (philosopher). (204b)
17. What does Diotima say everyone really loves? (205e)
18. How does Diotima define Love at 206a?
19. What does Diotima say is the purpose of love? (206b–e)
20. What does Diotima say Love really desires? (206e–207a)
21. Describe the six rungs of the famous Ladder of Love. (211a–d)
22. Describe the dramatic action as Alcibiades joins the banquet.
23. What does Alcibiades say no one has ever seen? (214a)
24. Who is the only man who has shamed Alcibiades? (216b)
25. Describe Alcibiades’ speech in praise of Socrates. (214a–222b) What kind of a person is Socrates?
26. What does Socrates say about comedy and tragedy at 223d?

Platonism course syllabus