POSC 215

THE EROTIC DIALOGUES OF PLATO

RHODES SPRING 2000

WW 407 83420 MWF 10-11, 2-3

This graduate seminar aims to ascertain the relationship between Socrates’ techn‘ of eros and political wisdom in the philosophy of Plato.

Each student will give two seminar papers, choosing from the topics listed below. All students will read the Platonic dialogues, or the sections thereof, assigned for each week.

Course grades will be based on the seminar papers and class participation.

The text for the course is Plato, Complete Works, ed. John M. Cooper. Suggested readings other than the instructor’s manuscripts are on one day library reserve.

Jan. 19. Organization day, introductory remarks.

Jan 26. Modern Views of Plato’s Reticence. Assigned Reading: Rhodes chapter on Plato’s reticence. Suggested Readings: Friedrich Schleiermacher, Schleiermacher’s Introductions to the Dialogues of Plato, general introduction. Søren Kierkegaard, The Concept of Irony: With Continual Reference to Socrates. G.W.F. Hegel, Lectures on the History of Philosophy, vol. 1, "Socrates," pp. 384-454; vol. 2, "Plato," pp. 1-117; Leo Strauss, The City and Man, chapter on Plato; Leo Strauss, Persecution and the Art of Writing, chapters 1-2. Stanley Rosen, Plato’s Symposium, preface, introduction.

Feb. 2. Plato’s Account of His Writing. Assigned Reading: Plato, Seventh Letter. Rhodes chapter on Seventh Letter.

Feb. 9. Alcibiades, Eros, and Political Wisdom. Assigned Reading: Plato, Alcibiades I; Protagoras.

Feb. 16. Apollodorus, Aristodemus, Phaedrus, and Pausanias. Assigned Reading: Plato, Symposium, 172a-185c. Rhodes chapter on Sophistical Eros. Suggested Reading: Rosen, Plato’s Symposium, chapters 1-3. Student Paper:______________________________.

Feb. 23. Eryximachus, Aristophanes. Assigned Reading: Plato, Symposium, 185c-193e. Rhodes chapter on Sophistical Eros. Suggested Reading, Rosen, Plato’s Symposium, chapters 4-5. Student Paper:_____________________________________.

Mar. 1. Agathon. Assigned Reading: Plato, Symposium, 194a-201c. Rhodes chapter on Sophistical Eros. Suggested Reading: Rosen, Plato’s Symposium, chapter 6. Student Paper: __________________________________.

Mar. 15: Socrates-Diotima. Assigned Reading: Plato, Symposium, 198a-214a. Rhodes chapter on Prophetic and Dionysian Eros (incomplete). Suggested Readings: Rosen, Plato’s Symposium, chapter 7. Student Paper: ___________________________________.

Mar. 22: Alcibiades. Assigned Reading: Plato, Symposium, 214a-end. Rosen, Plato’s Symposium, chapter 8. Student Paper: ____________________________________.

Mar. 29: Socrates’ Critique of Eros. Assigned Reading: Plato, Republic, 327a-328b, 389e, 402b-417b, Book V, Book IX. Rosen, The Quarrel between Philosophy and Poetry, chapter 6. Suggested Readings: Eva Brann, "The Music of the Republic." Zdravko Planinc, Plato’s Political Philosophy, chapters 1-5. Seth Benardete: Socrates’ Second Sailing. Eric Voegelin, Order and History, vol. 3, Plato and Aristotle, chapter on Republic. Paper author use Allan Bloom translation of Republic and consult index entries on "love (eros)." Student Paper: _________________________.

Apr. 5: Eros, Philosophy, and the Philosopher King: Assigned Reading: Plato, Republic Books VI, VII. Rosen, The Quarrel between Philosophy and Poetry, chapter 6. Suggested Readings: Eva Brann, "The Music of the Republic." Planinc, Plato’s Political Philosophy, chapters 1-5. Seth Benardete: Socrates’ Second Sailing. Voegelin, Order and History, vol. 3, Plato and Aristotle, chapter on Republic. Paper author use Bloom trans. of Republic, consult index entries on "love (eros)." Student Paper:_______________________________________

Apr. 12: Phaedrus, Lysias, Chatting on the Ilissus, the Nonlover. Assigned Reading: Plato, Phaedrus 227a-235c. Rhodes chapter on relevant portions of Phaedrus. Suggested Readings: Rosen, The Quarrel between Philosophy and Poetry, chapter 4; Seth Benardete, The Rhetoric of Morality and Philosophy, chapters 6-7. Student Paper: _______________________.

Apr. 19: First speech of Socrates. Assigned Reading: Plato, Phaedrus, 235c-242e. Rhodes chapter on relevant portions of Phaedrus. Suggested Readings: Rosen, The Quarrel between Philosophy and Poetry, chapter 5; Seth Benardete, The Rhetoric of Morality and Philosophy, chapters 8-9. Student Paper: ______________________________________.

Apr. 26: Second Speech of Socrates. Assigned Reading: Plato, Phaedrus, 243a-257b. Rhodes chapter on relevant portions of Phaedrus. Suggested Readings: Seth Benardete, The Rhetoric of Morality and Philosophy, chapters 9-10.

May 3: Speaking and Writing. Assigned Reading: Plato, Phaedrus, 257b-end. Rhodes chapter on relevant portions of Phaedrus. Suggested Readings: Seth Benardete, The Rhetoric of Morality and Philosophy, chapters 11-16.