Socrates

Two reasons why Socrates was not a sophist

Sources for the life of Socrates
1. Aristophanes' Clouds
2. Xenophon
3. Plato's dialogues

Socrates is often compared to Jesus
Socrates' life: Born 470, executed 399
Xanthippe
Daimonion

Apology: the story of Chaerephon and the Delphic oracle

The Socratic paradox

The Socratic method

Socrates’ contributions to philosophy, according to Aristotle
1. The inductive method of argument
2. Insisting on definitions

Other statements of Socrates:
1. Virtue is knowledge
2. No harm can come to the good man

Plato's four dialogues on Socrates' death:
Euthyphro
Apology
Crito
Phaedo

Plato

Whereas Socrates emphasized the process of moral betterment through the search for knowledge, Plato was more interested in creating a coherent philosophical system.

Influences on Plato: Parmenides and Pythagoras

Plato’s Theory of Forms/Ideas
The importance of mathematics for Plato’s theory of Forms

Learning is recollection
The body as an impediment to knowledge

Plato’s Republic: What is Justice?
Utopia

Analogy between the just society and the just individual
Parable of the cave

Plato’s family and life
Syracuse and Dionysius I
Athens: founding of the Academy

Aristotle: polymath

Old Comedy

Aristophanes
City Dionysia and Lenaia

Some titles of comedies I will be discussing: Clouds, Birds, Acharnians, Frogs, Peace

Characteristics of Old Comedy
1. Highly political and contemporary
2. Freedom of poets to ridicule and satirize
3. Fantasy element
4. Fertility element and sexuality
5. Didactic serious element: the parabasis
6. Slapstick element: the agon
7. Wordplay and puns

Aristophanes and women
Lysistrata
Women at the Thesmophoria
Women in the Assembly

Structural elements of Old Comedy:
parodos
parabasis
agon

Characteristics of New Comedy
Menander
Dyskolos