PHL 210 - Socrates

3 credits
A study of Socrates through an examination of two sorts of problems - the first (the so-called ‘Socratic Problem;) is the problem of evaluating the evidence which we possess about Socrates. This will proceed by reading an analysis of Aristophanes’ Clouds, Xenophon’s Memorabilia and Apology, some passages from Aristotle and the following ‘early’ dialogues of Plato: Apology, Crito, Euthyphro, the Charmides, Laches and Protagoras. The second problem to be dealt with is the extraction and evaluation of the main tenets of Socrates’ philosophy, such as the claims that virtue is knowledge and that no one ever does wrong willingly.