Schedule

What is Philosophy?

Goals

In this session, we’ll welcome you to our course.  By the end of our lecture class, you will:

1. Understand why Philosophy has been called the Queen of the Sciences, the Handmaiden to Theology, and the the Handmaiden to the Sciences.
2. Grasp the difference between Philosophy as a Way of Life and Philosophy as an academic discipline in the modern university.
3. Understand the overall structure of this course, including a brief introduction to Think Journals, Dialogue Groups, and the Apology Writing Assignment.

To Do:

Complete: Philosophical Inventory

The Examined Life & Logic 101

Western Philosophy is often traced back to Socrates who famously claimed that the unexamined life was not worth living. But what does it mean to live an examined life? And is Socrates’ claim plausible? Should you care about living an examined life? And if so, how do you go about doing that?

Goals

By the end of the lecture, you will:

1. Understand what it means to live an Examined Life
2. Understand what it takes to offer a general account of a value concept.
3. Practice raising counterexamples and improving general accounts in light of them.

Read This:

• The Examined Life

To Do:

Record the vocabulary words and complete these questions in your notes before you come to class. Once you have completed them, you will be ready for anything that HQ Trivia throws at you!

1. What form do philosophical arguments come in?
2. Sort the following three statements into premises and conclusion: (i) Veronica is a Notre Dame student. (ii) Therefore Veronica is a human being. (iii) All Notre Dame students are human beings.
3. Create a counterexample for the following statement: All animals weigh less than 1000 pounds.
4. Are there any good reasons to be good at analyzing arguments besides being a philosopher?

Responding to Value Diversity

People change their values during their lives and their is heated value disagreement between cultures and religions. How should we respond to the fact that there is so much value diversity and conflict? Should we be Close-Minded and Judgmental? Open-Minded and Tolerant? Should we conclude that values are all Relative or Subjective?

Goals

By the end of the lecture, you will:

1. Understand the difference between Cultural Relativism and Individual Subjectivism.
2. Grasp the differences between being open minded and tolerant and close minded and judgmental.
3. Appreciate the value of distinguishing between Government Policies, Social Norms, and Individual Ideals.
4. Take an initial stand on how to react to the values depicted in A Doll’s House.

Read This:

1. Watch A Doll’s Housebefore class on Monday
2. Read "The Challenge of Cultural Relativism" by James Rachels (REDO and LINK)

Meaning of Life

To Do:

Write down the definitions for all the vocabulary terms and complete these questions in your notes before you come to class. Once you have completed them, you will be ready for anything that HQ Trivia throws at you!

1. How does Taylor alter the Myth of Sisyphus?
2. In what way does Taylor think migrating birds are related to meaningful human lives?
3. If life is like a road trip, what does Taylor think makes it meaningful, the journey or the destination?

Hedonism

Most people think that pleasure is good for you and that pain is bad. Hedonists claim that pleasure and pain are in fact all that matters when it comes to living the Good Life. But the concrete advice they have about how to live the most pleasant life you can surprises many people. How would you arrange your life if you adopted the Hedonists standard for the Good Life?

Goals

By the end of the lecture, you will:

1. Understand the difference between sound and valid arguments for a general account of the Good Life.
2. Grasp the difference between an account working well in the study and its working well on the street.
3. Understand the Hedonists account of the Good Life
4. Understand how the Hedonists claimed their account would apply in the street.

Read This:

1. Read the Hedonists Guide to Modern Living Interactive Essay (REDO and NEW LINK)

Apology of Socrates

Do This:

Complete these questions in your notes before you come to class. Once you have completed them, you will be ready for anything that HQ Trivia throws at you!

1. How is a philosophical apology different than what we typically think of as an apology?
2. When Socrates speaks to the politician who has a reputation for wisdom, he comes away from their conversation thinking that he is wiser than the politician. Why does he think this?
3. What were the primary charges against Socrates that led to his execution?

Virtue and Stoic Freedom from Fate

Greek and Roman Stoics such as Marcus Aurelius and Seneca claim that things benefit us only when they make us better people. Based on that assumption, they argued that while virtue and vice make us better and worse, feelings of pleasure and pain do not. Consequently, they maintained that the Good Life is a life of virtue, open to all. On this view, how well we live us entirely up to us; we can freely choose to be perfectly happy, regardless of any misfortunes that befall us or any privileges we are denied.

Goals

By the end of the lecture, you will:

1. Understand the basic Stoic Argument against Hedonism.
2. Grasp the Stoic view that virtue is the complete good.
3. Understand the Stoic’s objections to harboring and acting on emotions such as fear, anger, and grief.
4. Grasp the distinction between choice-worthy items that the wise will pick and personal goods that make our lives better .

Read This:

1. Read the Stoic Happiness Interactive Essay (REDO and Re Link)

Create Your Own Meaning

Do This:

Complete these questions in your notes before you come to class. Once you have completed them, you will be ready for anything that HQ Trivia throws at you!

1. What are the three characteristics that define existentialism?
2. Sartre is famous for the slogan “existence precedes essence”.  What does this mean for him?  How does it put him at odds with Aristotle?
3. What is nihilsim? How does Sartre respond to the objection that his existentialism is nihilistic?

Meaningful Lives

Susan Wolf has a number of ideas about what it takes to make a life meaningful. Working through her account will help us to understand our own meaning and purpose. Once we understand the three ways in which our lives can have meaning, we will more effectively be able to articulate how we view our own lives.

Goals

By the end of the lecture, you will:

1. Articulate Susan Wolf’s three part analysis of meaningful lives
2. Explain what objective meaning is
3. Decide whether you think that there is objective meaning or whether all meaning is subjective

Do This:

Complete these questions in your notes before you come to class. Once you have completed them, you will be ready for anything that HQ Trivia throws at you!

1. What are the three criteria that Wolf gives for a meaningful life?
2. What is the difference between subjective and objective meaning?
3. How does living a meaningful life relate to living an ethical life?

Is Life Absurd?

We have already seen that Sartre thinks that humans must create their own meaning, that we do not have a pre-existing essence that determines how to live a meaningful life. This answer, however, does not seem satisfying to everyone. Today, we’ll look at arguments that our meaning comes from God and the life without God is ultimately absurd.

Goals

By the end of the lecture, you will:

1. Be able to articulate how God and immortality bear upon whether human life has any meaning, value, or purpose
2. Evaluate arguments that life without God lacks meaning
3. Articulate how God either does or does not inform your own view of the good life

Do This:

Complete these questions in your notes before you come to class. Once you have completed them, you will be ready for anything that HQ Trivia throws at you!

1. There are several authors considered in the article – which authors defended belief in God, and which defended atheism?
2. What was Dostoyevsky’s response to the problem of evil?
3. What is the difference between relative and ultimate significance? How does Craig think the existence of God effects whether our life have relative or ultimate significance?
4. Craig thinks that atheists, like Sartre, cannot live consistent lives. Why does Craig think that atheists must ultimately be inconsistent?

Join a Movement

What should you focus your time and attention on if you want your life to be more meaningful? Should philosophy be put in the service of action? Or is the main role of philosophy to feed our contemplative sides? Today we consider one proposal — the good life is one dedicated to justice and action on behalf of the good.

Goals

By the end of the lecture, you will:

1. Understand the ways in which Martin Luther King uses the image of Socrates to defend activism
2. Consider whether King’s argument for civil disobedience is sound
3. Consider current social and political structures that King’s arguments might apply to

Do This:

Complete these questions in your notes before you come to class. Once you have completed them, you will be ready for anything that HQ Trivia throws at you!

1. When and why did MLK Jr. write his Letter from a Birmingham Jail?
2. MLK Jr. is from Atlanta, not Birmingham. Why was he in Birmingham?
3. What are the four steps for demonstrating nonviolently?
4. MLK Jr. appeals to two types of laws in his Letter – what are these two types of laws?

Does God Exist?

How does religious faith (or lack thereof) figure into living a meaningful life?  That’s the topic of our third unit.  In this session, we will consider one popular argument for the existence of God, the Ontological Argument.

Goals

By the end of the lecture, you will:

1. You will be able to define “natural theology” and distinguish it from other kinds of theology.
2. You will understand the logical structure of Anselm’s Ontological Argument.
3. You will consider the religious importance of arguments for God’s existence

Do This:

Complete these questions in your notes before you come to class. Once you have completed them, you will be ready for anything that HQ Trivia throws at you!

1. What is the difference between natural theology and divine revelation?
2. What are some things that exist only in the understanding? What are something things that exist in the understanding and in reality?
3. Explain Gaunilo’s Perfect Island Objection. What is Gaunilo hoping to show with this example?

Isn’t Morality all Relative

In this unit, we are going to explore how living a moral life might contribute to living a meaningful live. That question might not matter much though if all of morality is just relative, if there is nothing that is always right and always wrong. In this lesson, we will consider whether there are good arguments for thinking that morality is not relative but is instead objective.

Goals

By the end of the lecture, you will:

1. Be able to articulate the case for saying that our ordinary moral thinking commits us to an objective moral standard
2. Understand the motivations for thinking that morality is a matter of human convention or custom
3. Reflect on whether you think that morality is ultimately objective

Do This:

Complete these questions in your notes before you come to class. Once you have completed them, you will be ready for anything that HQ Trivia throws at you!

1. What are some practices from this interactive essay that would have been morally unacceptable in our culture?
2. Does C.S. Lewis think that people are consistent in denying that there is a Law of Right and Wrong? Why or why not?
3. C.S. Lewis argues that even though some people might deny there is a moral law, they still feel guilty about the things that they have done wrong. Is this a good argument that morality is not relative?
4. How does C.S. Lewis respond to the point that we are all just taught right and wrong by our parents? How does he argue that this does not lead to moral relativism?

Ponds and Poverty

What’s your moral code? According to Utilitarians, the key to acting morally is to do whatever will alleviate suffering and promote pleasure in the world. As a result, anyone that can feel pain or pleasure deserves your moral consideration. ; And we might be called upon to make some significant sacrifices if we want to make the world a better place.

Goals

By the end of the lecture, you will:

1. Be able to explain the utilitarian’s Greatest Happiness principle and to apply it to particular cases
2. Be able to articulate at least one objection to utilitarian approaches to ethics
3. Articulate the extent to which your own moral views align with those of the utilitarian

Do This:

Complete these questions in your notes before you come to class. Once you have completed them, you will be ready for anything that HQ Trivia throws at you!

1. What is the Greatest Happiness Principle? What is Utilitarianism?
2. What is the difference between higher and lower pleasures?
3. In the trolley problem, would Utilitarianism advise you to keep the trolley on the track with five people or switch the trolley to the track with one person?
4. Be able to explain the objection that Utilitarianism does not consider motives. Did you find this to be a convincing objection?

It’s All About Virtue

The utilitarians think your moral success depends on the outward consequences of your actions. Today we look at a different theory, one that assumes that the most important part of being moral is forming your own character. In the Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle makes the case that the moral life is all about building the virtues. Even though pleasure comes with living the good life, it is not the thing that we should aim for when we try to live a meaningful life.

Goals

By the end of the lecture, you will:

1. Understand the key premises of Aristotle’s function argument
2. Be able to compare Utilitarian ethics with a Virtue ethics approach
3. Consider whether you are more inclined to agree with Aristotle or Mill on how to live a good life

Do This:

Complete these questions in your notes before you come to class. Once you have completed them, you will be ready for anything that HQ Trivia throws at you!

1. In what work did Aristotle lay out his views on living a moral life?
2. What is the difference between final and instrumental value? Does Aristotle think that happiness has final value or instrumental value?
3. What is the conclusion of Aristotle’s function argument?
4. Aristotle thinks that living a good life requires living virtuously. How do we define virtue in the reading? Does Aristotle think that virtue is a deficiency, an excess, or something else?

Betting on God

We have looked at both arguments for and against God’s existence. Blaise Pascal, however, is not necessarily concerned with the results of those arguments. Instead, he argues that we should live as if God exists regardless of whether or not we have a good argument that he does. Would you take Pascal’s Wager?

Goals

By the end of the lecture, you will:

1. Understand Pascal’s use of prudential reasoning to support the rationality of believing in God/practicing a religion
2. Explain Pascal’s decision matrix for believing in God
3. Decide whether you should follow Pascal in living as if God exists

Do This:

Complete these questions in your notes before you come to class. Once you have completed them, you will be ready for anything that HQ Trivia throws at you!

1. What is pragmatism?
2. According to Pascal, which bet ends up better whether or not God exists?
3. How does Pascal use the possibility of infinite pleasure in heaven? What role does this play in his reasoning?
4. What does Pascal recommend for those who find it difficult to believe in God?

God and Morality

We have now seen three moral views, one that is based on maximizing pleasure (Utilitarianism), and one that is focused on building the virtues (Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics), and another that emphasizes moral duty (Deontology). Today we’ll be considering the view that right and wrong come from God. We previously considered whether or not morality was objective, and it was difficult to see how, if morality is just a matter of opinion, it could ever be objective. Divine Command Theory attempts to answer this questions by grounding the moral code in God’s commands.

Goals

By the end of the lecture, you will:

1. Understand Divine Command Theory and how it hopes to account for the objectivity of morality
2. Be familiar with the problems raised by Euthrphro Dilemma
3. Decide whether you think that God’s commands are a good basis for morality

Do This:

Complete these questions in your notes before you come to class. Once you have completed them, you will be ready for anything that HQ Trivia throws at you!

1. What analogy does the author give for thinking that the moral law was given to us by God?
2. What is one concrete example of Divine Command Theory from the essay?
3. According to the reading, what are two objections to Divine Command Theory?
4. Explain the Euthyphro dilemma in your own words. What is the problem if God commands things that are already morally good? What is the problem if things are not good or bad until God commands them?

Escape Your Cave

Plato was Socrates’s most famous student and was deeply influenced by his views of how the love of truth fits in with the good life. In this class session, we will introduce you to Plato’s most famous dialogue — The Republic — which features Socrates’ in his questioning element. We’ll read the famous Allegory of the Cave and discuss different views we might have to “converting” others in a philosophical debate.

Goals

By the end of the lecture, you will:

1. Understand Plato’s vision of truth in the Allegory of the Cave
2. Consider how truth can often be transformative
3. Debate whether we have moral obligations to “return to the cave” as Plato suggests at the end of the dialogue.

Do This:

Complete these questions in your notes before you come to class. Once you have completed them, you will be ready for anything that HQ Trivia throws at you!

1. In the Allegory of the Cave, what first happens to those who emerge from the cave? Are they able to comprehend the truth?
2. Does Plato think that we should return to the cave once we are enlightened? Why or why not?
3. What happens to those who are enlightened when they return to the cave? Is there testimony accepted by those who remained in the cave?

Is Our Universe Designed by God

We have already looked at Anselm’s Ontological Argument, but the Ontological Argument is not the only potential reason to think God exists. There are also arguments that the universe has been designed by a creator, and today we will examine the currently popular argument for fine-tuning, the thought that a designer made our universe in a special way so that it was well-suited to life.

Goals

By the end of the lecture, you will:

1. Understand the fine-tuning argument for God’s existence
2. Consider the multiverse objection to fine-tuning
3. Compare the strength of the fine-tuning argument to Anselm’s Ontological Argument

Do This:

Complete these questions in your notes before you come to class. Once you have completed them, you will be ready for anything that HQ Trivia throws at you!

1. What is fine-tuning?
2. If the universe is fine-tuned, how is this an argument for God’s existence?
3. What do advocates of the fine-tuning argument have to say about Darwinian evolution?
4. What is the multiverse hypothesis? How does it provide an alternative to fine-tuning?

Why is There Evil?

In this session we consider natural a-theology: arguments that no rational person should believe that a god exists. In particular, we will focus on the Problem of Evil. To guide our thinking, we will consider some real world tragedies and the burden that theists have in understanding them.

Goals

By the end of the lecture, you will:

1. Understand the philosophical “problem of evil.”
2. Be able to articulate some of the leading theodicies
3. Decide whether you think that the existence of evil shows that there is no God

Do This:

Complete these questions in your notes before you come to class. Once you have completed them, you will be ready for anything that HQ Trivia throws at you!

1. Explain how the problem of evil arises. Why think that the problem of evil undermines the existence of an all-good God?
2. What is a theodicy?
3. How does the Free Will theodicy attempt to explain how God could allow evil?
4. What theodicies were discussed in the reading? Which of these did you think was the strongest?

Reject Religion

Nietzsche thinks unshackling yourself from organized religion is an essential step to living well. In this class we’ll explore Nietzsche’s debunking theory about the origin of religious belief and why he thinks that religion hold us back from living our best life.

Goals

By the end of the lecture, you will:

1. Understand what a genealogical argument is and how that differs from a typical philosophical argument
2. Consider Nietzsche’s debunking argument of Christianity and its ability to explain our current moral perspective
3. Decide to what extent you think that Nietzsche is right about the origins of our religious worldview

Do This:

Complete these questions in your notes before you come to class. Once you have completed them, you will be ready for anything that HQ Trivia throws at you!

1. What is a genealogy? How does a genealogical argument differ from a typical philosophical argument?
2. What is the difference between Noble and Ignoble people?
3. How do the Ignoble people use morality to gain power over the Nobles?
4. Where does religion come in? How does an alliance between the Ignoble and the priestly class create the concept of sin?

It’s All About Duty

We have now seen two moral views, one that is based on maximizing pleasure (Utilitarianism), and one that is focused on building the virtues (Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics). Today we’ll be considering a view that emphasizes your moral duties. Immanuel Kant is famous for believing that rationality is the basis for morality — the most important focus of ethical decision-making is respecting the freedom and dignity of rational beings. He also gives us a theory of inviolable moral imperatives — rules you must follow, no matter what, to do what is right. Today we will discuss whether we have inviolable moral duties and the importance of freedom and rational choice in living the good life.

Goals

By the end of the lecture, you will:

1. Appreciate the importance of the good will and acting from duty in Kant’s ethical view
2. Consider whether you have inviolable duties and how those might fit into your philosophical apology
3. Discuss the different ways that Kantians and utilitarians defend moral obligations

Do This:

Complete these questions in your notes before you come to class. Once you have completed them, you will be ready for anything that HQ Trivia throws at you!

1. According to Kant’s ethical views, what makes a will a good will?
2. Which moral actions does Kant think you should get credit for? The one’s that are done from inclination? Those done from a mixture of inclination and duty? Something else?
3. What does it mean to make the maxims you act by into universal moral laws?
4. Does Kant think suicide is morally permissible? What about making false promises? Why or why not?

Doubt Everything

We have discussed philosophical arguments on meaning, morality, and religion, but moving forward, you will encounter a number of other views about how to live. You might not necessarily have the time to reflect philosophically on all of these issues, and so you might have to rely on the word of others. In the final few lessons, we are going to discuss who you should believe and why, starting by doubting everything with Descartes.

Goals

By the end of the lecture, you will:

1. Understand Descartes method of doubt and cogito argument.
2. Appreciate some reasons for being globally skeptical.
3. Be able to analyze the premises and logical features of Descartes’ dreaming argument for skepticism.

Do This:

Complete these questions in your notes before you come to class. Once you have completed them, you will be ready for anything that HQ Trivia throws at you!

1. Does Descartes think that he can trust his senses? Why or why not?
2. Does Descartes think that his dreaming argument for skepticism applies to all of his beliefs?
3. Explain the cogito argument. Why does Descartes think this argument is foundational?
4. Given his reflections, Descartes concludes something about what he ultimately is. What does he conclude?

Escape Your Cave

Plato was Socrates’s most famous student and was deeply influenced by his views of how the love of truth fits in with the good life. In this class session, we will introduce you to Plato’s most famous dialogue — The Republic — which features Socrates’ in his questioning element. We’ll read the famous Allegory of the Cave and discuss different views we might have to “converting” others in a philosophical debate.

Goals

By the end of the lecture, you will:

1. Understand Plato’s vision of truth in the Allegory of the Cave
2. Consider how truth can often be transformative
3. Debate whether we have moral obligations to “return to the cave” as Plato suggests at the end of the dialogue.

Do This:

Complete these questions in your notes before you come to class. Once you have completed them, you will be ready for anything that HQ Trivia throws at you!

1. In the Allegory of the Cave, what first happens to those who emerge from the cave? Are they able to comprehend the truth?
2. Does Plato think that we should return to the cave once we are enlightened? Why or why not?
3. What happens to those who are enlightened when they return to the cave? Is there testimony accepted by those who remained in the cave?

Escape Your Cave

Plato was Socrates’s most famous student and was deeply influenced by his views of how the love of truth fits in with the good life. In this class session, we will introduce you to Plato’s most famous dialogue — The Republic — which features Socrates’ in his questioning element. We’ll read the famous Allegory of the Cave and discuss different views we might have to “converting” others in a philosophical debate.

Goals

By the end of the lecture, you will:

1. Understand Plato’s vision of truth in the Allegory of the Cave
2. Consider how truth can often be transformative
3. Debate whether we have moral obligations to “return to the cave” as Plato suggests at the end of the dialogue.

Do This:

Complete these questions in your notes before you come to class. Once you have completed them, you will be ready for anything that HQ Trivia throws at you!

1. In the Allegory of the Cave, what first happens to those who emerge from the cave? Are they able to comprehend the truth?
2. Does Plato think that we should return to the cave once we are enlightened? Why or why not?
3. What happens to those who are enlightened when they return to the cave? Is there testimony accepted by those who remained in the cave?

Escape Your Cave

Plato was Socrates’s most famous student and was deeply influenced by his views of how the love of truth fits in with the good life. In this class session, we will introduce you to Plato’s most famous dialogue — The Republic — which features Socrates’ in his questioning element. We’ll read the famous Allegory of the Cave and discuss different views we might have to “converting” others in a philosophical debate.

Goals

By the end of the lecture, you will:

1. Understand Plato’s vision of truth in the Allegory of the Cave
2. Consider how truth can often be transformative
3. Debate whether we have moral obligations to “return to the cave” as Plato suggests at the end of the dialogue.

Do This:

Complete these questions in your notes before you come to class. Once you have completed them, you will be ready for anything that HQ Trivia throws at you!

1. In the Allegory of the Cave, what first happens to those who emerge from the cave? Are they able to comprehend the truth?
2. Does Plato think that we should return to the cave once we are enlightened? Why or why not?
3. What happens to those who are enlightened when they return to the cave? Is there testimony accepted by those who remained in the cave?

Nic B

Plato was Socrates’s most famous student and was deeply influenced by his views of how the love of truth fits in with the good life. In this class session, we will introduce you to Plato’s most famous dialogue — The Republic — which features Socrates’ in his questioning element. We’ll read the famous Allegory of the Cave and discuss different views we might have to “converting” others in a philosophical debate.

Goals

By the end of the lecture, you will:

1. Understand Plato’s vision of truth in the Allegory of the Cave
2. Consider how truth can often be transformative
3. Debate whether we have moral obligations to “return to the cave” as Plato suggests at the end of the dialogue.

Do This:

Complete these questions in your notes before you come to class. Once you have completed them, you will be ready for anything that HQ Trivia throws at you!

1. In the Allegory of the Cave, what first happens to those who emerge from the cave? Are they able to comprehend the truth?
2. Does Plato think that we should return to the cave once we are enlightened? Why or why not?
3. What happens to those who are enlightened when they return to the cave? Is there testimony accepted by those who remained in the cave?

What Shall We Eat?

We have now seen four moral views, one that is based on maximizing pleasure (Utilitarianism), and one that is focused on building the virtues (Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics), another that emphasizes moral duty (Deontology), and finally one that is based in God’s commands (Divine Command Theory). But why should we even want to live a good life? So what if Utilitarianism or Deontology is the correct moral theory – why should I even do what is right to begin with? Today, we will look at Plato’s response to this question and Glaucon’s counterargument in the Ring of Gyges.

Goals

By the end of the lecture, you will:

1. Understand why Plato thinks justice is both instrumentally and intrinsically valuable
2. Explain Glaucon’s response to Plato using the Ring of Gyges
3. Articulate whether you think it is worse to suffer injustice or to do injustice

Read This:

1. Read the The Value of Shame Essay

Why Be Good? Plato’s Republic

Do This:

Complete these questions in your notes before you come to class. Once you have completed them, you will be ready for anything that HQ Trivia throws at you!

1. What position does Socrates argue for? Does he argue that being a just person is instrumentally valuable, intrinsically valuable, or both?
2. What position does Glaucon argue for? Does he argue that being a just person is instrumentally valuable, intrinsically valuable, or both?
3. What point is Glaucon trying to make with his tale of the Ring of Gyges?
4. Where does Glaucon thinks justice comes from? How does this relate to Social Contract theories of justice?

An Argument on the Immorality of Having Children

Plato was Socrates’s most famous student and was deeply influenced by his views of how the love of truth fits in with the good life. In this class session, we will introduce you to Plato’s most famous dialogue — The Republic — which features Socrates’ in his questioning element. We’ll read the famous Allegory of the Cave and discuss different views we might have to “converting” others in a philosophical debate.

Goals

By the end of the lecture, you will:

1. Understand Plato’s vision of truth in the Allegory of the Cave
2. Consider how truth can often be transformative
3. Debate whether we have moral obligations to “return to the cave” as Plato suggests at the end of the dialogue.

Read This:

1. Read the Allegory of the Cave Interactive Essay

Allegory of The Cave

Do This:

Complete these questions in your notes before you come to class. Once you have completed them, you will be ready for anything that HQ Trivia throws at you!

1. In the Allegory of the Cave, what first happens to those who emerge from the cave? Are they able to comprehend the truth?
2. Does Plato think that we should return to the cave once we are enlightened? Why or why not?
3. What happens to those who are enlightened when they return to the cave? Is there testimony accepted by those who remained in the cave?

Escape Your Cave

Plato was Socrates’s most famous student and was deeply influenced by his views of how the love of truth fits in with the good life. In this class session, we will introduce you to Plato’s most famous dialogue — The Republic — which features Socrates’ in his questioning element. We’ll read the famous Allegory of the Cave and discuss different views we might have to “converting” others in a philosophical debate.

Goals

By the end of the lecture, you will:

1. Understand Plato’s vision of truth in the Allegory of the Cave
2. Consider how truth can often be transformative
3. Debate whether we have moral obligations to “return to the cave” as Plato suggests at the end of the dialogue.

Read This:

1. Read the Work (PDF) Essay

Do This:

Complete these questions in your notes before you come to class. Once you have completed them, you will be ready for anything that HQ Trivia throws at you!

1. In the Allegory of the Cave, what first happens to those who emerge from the cave? Are they able to comprehend the truth?
2. Does Plato think that we should return to the cave once we are enlightened? Why or why not?
3. What happens to those who are enlightened when they return to the cave? Is there testimony accepted by those who remained in the cave?

Escape Your Cave

Plato was Socrates’s most famous student and was deeply influenced by his views of how the love of truth fits in with the good life. In this class session, we will introduce you to Plato’s most famous dialogue — The Republic — which features Socrates’ in his questioning element. We’ll read the famous Allegory of the Cave and discuss different views we might have to “converting” others in a philosophical debate.

Goals

By the end of the lecture, you will:

1. Understand Plato’s vision of truth in the Allegory of the Cave
2. Consider how truth can often be transformative
3. Debate whether we have moral obligations to “return to the cave” as Plato suggests at the end of the dialogue.

Do This:

Complete these questions in your notes before you come to class. Once you have completed them, you will be ready for anything that HQ Trivia throws at you!

1. In the Allegory of the Cave, what first happens to those who emerge from the cave? Are they able to comprehend the truth?
2. Does Plato think that we should return to the cave once we are enlightened? Why or why not?
3. What happens to those who are enlightened when they return to the cave? Is there testimony accepted by those who remained in the cave?