Time Schedule:
David Keyt
PHIL 335
Seattle Campus
Designed especially for philosophy majors, but open to non-majors. Intensive study of Plato's masterpiece. Prerequisite: one PHIL course.
Class description
Plato's Republic is the most important and most provocative philosophical work to come down to us from the ancient world and one of the three or four great masterpieces of western philosophy. The conversation in it ranges over almost every area of philosophy: metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of mind, ethics, political philosophy, philosophy of education, feminism, aesthetics, and philosophy of religion. In spite of its richness and complexity it is one of the most accessible works of ancient philosophy. It is thus an ideal text for study in an upper-division philosophy course. In addition to the entire text of the Republic, we will read Homer's Iliad for background and Karl Popper’s The Open Society and Its Enemies, vol. I: The Spell of Plato for an important and influential 20th century interpretation. There will be two written exercises each week.
Student learning goals
General method of instruction
Recommended preparation
PREREQUISITE: one PHIL course.
Class assignments and grading
