Undergraduate Course: Plato's Republic in Translation (CLTR10029)
Course Outline
| School | School of History, Classics and Archaeology |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | Plato's Republic is the single most influential work of Western philosophy, combining argumentative rigour with unforgettable imagery. Its narrative backbone is a defence of justice as always advantageous to its possessor, a defence which, as it proceeds, in turn involves fundamental investigations into politics, ethics, psychology, epistemology, metaphysics, theology and aesthetics. It is also a supreme literary and dramatic masterpiece. |
| Course description |
Plato's Republic is the single most influential work of Western philosophy. The narrative backbone of the ten-book work is a defence of justice as always advantageous to its possessor, but along the way this defence involves fundamental investigations into politics, ethics, psychology, epistemology, metaphysics, theology and aesthetics.
We will work our way through the ten books in English translation over weeks 1-10, with week 11 devoted to a summary, paying attention to the literary and argumentative qualities of the work
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | Students MUST NOT also be taking
Plato's Republic (GREE10038)
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Other requirements | Admission to Honours in Ancient History or Classical Studies or equivalent, with final admission is at discretion of course organiser. |
| Additional Costs | Course texts |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Visiting students should usually have some familiarity with philosophy (at least one university level course) or with the Classical world (some ancient Greek, ancient history, classical archaeology). We will only recognise University/College level courses, and the course organiser will have discretion to decide in more cases.
** as numbers are limited, visiting students should contact the Visiting Student Office directly for admission to this course ** |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2022/23, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 22 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 22,
Summative Assessment Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
172 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
50 %,
Coursework
50 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Coursework:
1,500 word Mini reading report (15%)
3,000-3,500 word Essay (35%)
Exam: 2 hr Final exam (gobbets plus essay) (50%) |
| Feedback |
Students will receive feedback on their reading report and essay, and will have the opportunity to discuss that feedback further with the Course Organiser during their published office hours for this course or by appointment. |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
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| Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May) | | 2:00 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Discuss and contextualize in an informed manner select passages in English translation from Plato's Republic.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the main outlines of Plato's defence of justice; familiarity with the internal structure of the Republic and its central themes and arguments.
- Demonstrate awareness of the central modern interpretative trends and issues relating to Plato and the various theses of the Republic in modern scholarship.
- Develop and sustain scholarly arguments, by formulating appropriate questions and utilising relevant evidence.
- Demonstrate independence of mind and initiative; intellectual integrity and maturity; an ability to evaluate the work of others, including peers.
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Reading List
Translation:
T. Griffith (2000) ed. G.R.F. Ferrari, Plato, The Republic, Cambridge.
Scholarly aids:
Annas, J. (1981) An Introduction to Plato's Republic. Oxford
Blackburn, S.(2006) Plato's Republic: A Biography. New York: Atlantic Monthly Press.
Kraut, R. ed. (1997) Plato's Republic: Critical Essays. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield,
Ostenfeld, E.N.ed.(1998), Essays on Plato's Republic. Aarhus: Aarhus University Press.
Santas, G. (ed. 2006), The Blackwell Guide to Plato's Republic. Oxford: Blackwell.
Ferrari, G.R.F. ed. (2007) The Cambridge Companion to Plato's Republic. Cambridge.
McPherran, M. ed. (2010) Plato's 'Republic' A Critical Guide, Cambridge.
Pappas, N. (1995/2003) Plato and the Republic, Routledge, London.
Reeve C.D.C. (1988) Philosopher-Kings: The Argument of Plato's Republic. Princeton. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
demonstrate an awareness of perennial philosophical questions, such as the foundations of ethics, the possibility and methods of knowledge, various great metaphysical positions (materialism, idealism and other schools) and specific topics in ancient psychology, aesthetics and theology.
demonstrate historical sensitivity with respect to the contextualization and interpretation of ancient ideas and doctrines and an appreciation of historical source-criticism
demonstrate an ability to read, analyse and reflect critically upon relevant scholarship and to develop and sustain scholarly arguments in oral and written form, by formulating appropriate questions and utilising relevant evidence;
demonstrate independence of mind and initiative; intellectual integrity and maturity; an ability to evaluate the work of others, including peers. |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Simon Trepanier
Tel: (0131 6)50 3589
Email: Simon.Trepanier@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Clara Burns
Tel: (0131 6)50 4459
Email: clara.burns@ed.ac.uk |
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