Study Questions to Chapter 4 - Plato

Prepared by Dr. Jan Garrett

Last modification date: June 15, 2009

PLATO'S LIFE AND WORK

1. Who were the Sophists? What sort of skepticism did they often express? (72)

2. How, according to Socrates, can we come to know the right way to live? In what sense did Socrates claim superiority to his fellow Athenians? What does he think about "the unexamined life"? (72)

3. What did Plato retain from Socrates? (72-73)

4. In Plato's Timaeus, from what does divine wisdom create the universe? How does this differ from what Stevenson calls the "biblical doctrine"? (73) (Actually, this "biblical doctrine" is based less upon what is in the Bible than upon interpretations by Christian theologians such as Augustine.-JG)

THEORY OF FORMS

5. How does the text distinguish between the semantic, the metaphysical, the epistemological, and the moral aspects of the Forms? (74) (This distinction corresponds to four different types of philosophical inquiry.)

6. What is the logical or semantic aspect of the Forms? (74)

7. How does nominalism differ from Platonic realism? What does Plato say, at Republic 597, regarding general words and Forms? (74) What qualification of this doctrine does he apparently make? (74-75)

8. What metaphysical claim does Plato seem to make regarding the Forms? Are Forms material objects? If not, how do they differ from material objects? Are we likely to encounter them in sense-perceptions? If not, in what other way might we come to know them? (75)

9. What is the epistemological aspect of his theory of Forms? (75)

10. Why is mathematics--arithmetic or geometry--very important for Plato? (75-76)

11. What is the moral aspect of Plato's Forms? (76) Is Plato satisfied with examples of the moral virtues, like courage or piety? Explain. (76) Are Forms just abstractions based on what we actually see or observe in moral behavior around us? Explain. (76)

12. What special claims does Plato make for the Form of Goodness? (76)

13. What counter-intuitive ("para-doxical," i.e., contrary to what most people believe) view did the historical Socrates probably hold? What follows if this doctrine is true? (76-77)

14. What view does Plato defend in Rep. V-VII that Stevenson finds implausible? (77)

THEORY OF HUMAN NATURE: TRIPARTITE SOUL

15. What is dualism and how does Plato try to defend it in his dialogue The Meno? (77)

16. What two nondualist theories does he critique in The Phaedo? (78)

17. Which of the two parts of the human being did Plato affirm to be superior? (78)

18. What type of experience is the basis for arguments that the soul consists of more than one part? (78)

19. What two parts of the soul does Plato first distinguish? What is the evidence for this distinction? (79)

20. What third element does Plato distinguish from the first two? What evidence is there that this aspect of the soul is distinct from reason? (79-80)

21. What vivid images (analogies?) does Plato use to help us remember his theory? (80)

22. What criticisms of the tripartite theory of soul does the author make? (80)

23. What two aspects of Plato's theory of human nature does the author note in the remainder of this section? (80-81)

DIAGNOSIS

24. What kinds of desire correspond to the three parts of the soul? How does Plato describe these parts? Which should rule? Do the others have a role to play when it does? How should the three parts be related? (81)

25. Describe the ideal condition of human beings and society, as understood by Plato? (82)

26. How would Plato relate individual responsibility and social environment in his discussion of social problems? (82)

27. Describe and differentiate (as understood by Plato): "aristocracy"; timarchic society; "democratic" society; and tyranny. Or describe and differentiate the corresponding individual types-Plato uses the same terms to label them. (You could do either in the form of a chart.) (82-84)

PRESCRIPTION

28. How does Plato refute Thrasymachus (who claims that that it's in the strong person's interest to be unjust)? (84)

29. How can one become virtuous (and acquire a harmonious soul)? (84-85) What does Plato understand by education-classroom learning alone? What is vital for everyone? (85)

30. When, according to Plato, will social problems finally be solved? What sort of person is qualified to govern society? (85) How can society produce such persons? (85-86)

31. How does Plato describe the way of life of the Guardians of his ideal society? (86)

CRITICAL DISCUSSION

32. What problems does Stevenson raise concerning Plato's solution to political problems? (mid 86-88)