Socrates and Plato (U03602)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 10 ? Acronym : HCA-3-U03602

A survey of the philosophy of Socrates and Plato through a study of five Platonic dialogues and other relevant sources. Students will read four Platonic dialogues in translation, and either the Meno or Phaedo in Greek, depending on the year.

Entry Requirements

? Pre-requisites : A pass in Greek 2A and Greek 2B, with an average of 50% or above in the two courses combined.

? Prohibited combinations : Cannot be taken along with U03603 ('Socrates and Plato: Five Dialogues').

? Special Arrangements for Entry : In order for a student from outwith Classics to be enrolled on this course, contact must be made with a Course Secretary on 50 3580 in order for approval to be obtained.

Variants

? This course has variants for part year visiting students, as follows

Socrates and Plato (VS1) (Not being delivered)

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Greek, (School of History, Classics and Archaeology, Schedule E)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 3rd year

? Delivery Period : Semester 2 (Blocks 3-4)

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) per week for 11 weeks

First Class Information

Date	Start	End	Room	Area	Additional Information
07/01/2008	10:00	10:50	Room 4.01, David Hume Tower	Central	In order for a student from outside Classics to be enrolled, contact must be made with a Course Secretary on 50 3580 for approval to be obtained.

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Lecture	Monday	10:00	10:50	Central
Lecture	Thursday	10:00	10:50	Central

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

Students who complete the course successfully will be able by the end of the course to demonstrate in written examination and course work as well as in class discussion:

- advanced knowledge of ancient Greek, and Greek prose style
- an understanding of the difficulties of ascribing a specific philosophy to the historical Socrates, as opposed to the various claims made by the first generation of writers of Socratic dialogues
- an awareness of the historical and legal issues surrounding the trial of Socrates
- the way in which Plato eventually supplanted his competitors in the quest to establish himself as Socrates' main philosophical successor
- knowledge of the basic ethical tenets found in the early Platonic dialogues
- a sensitivity to the relationship between philosophical views and literary form in early to middle Plato
- familiarity with the first version of Plato's theory of Forms and his views on the soul