PHL 236 - The Ideal State

3 credits C, E
In-depth study of Plato’s Republic that will introduce students to basic philosophical issues in most all the areas of philosophical inquiry. As we follow the conversation depicted in the dialogue, we encounter many important questions about ethics, the nature of the state, and the nature of knowledge and reality. Questions for exploration in this course are: Why is justice better than injustice? Will being just make one happy? What characterizes a citizen, a leader? How does gender affect social and political roles? What is truly real and how do we know it? Plato’s views will be explored and critically examined.