CLST 352 - Teaching Plato's Republic

Institution:

University of Pennsylvania

Subject:

Description:

Rosen. Plato's "Republic" begins as a casual conversation among Socrates and his friends about morality and justice, and ends up constructing an elaborate utopian city which would promote justice and happiness among all its citizens. It is no surprise that this monumental project has engaged readers so intensely since antiquity, for it manages to address so many of the perennial questions of human existence: what, for example, constitutes the "good life" How do we balance the demands of the state and those of the individual On what criteria can a society base its ethical system Beyond such grandiose questions other very practical ones are discussed, such as what kinds of art should be allowed in the ideal city, whether women are fit for military service, or how children should be educated. This seminar sets out to accomplish two intersecting goals: the first is to allow students to savor the full text of the Republic, and its relation to other Platonic works, through close, detailed reading over an entire semester; second, it will approach Plato's work as a dynamic and vibrant pedagogical text that can inspire even young students to to reflect on the most urgent, if often puzzling, questions of life. One of the three weekly meetings of the seminar will take place at University City High School (UCHS). We will work closely with a high school class and their teacher at UCHS, using Plato as a springboard for discovery and discussion. Such a format would surely please Socrates himself, who held that ongoing dialogue with others consitutes the truest philosophical enterprise.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.upenn.edu

Phone Number:

(215) 898-5000

Regional Accreditation:

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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