Questions for Plato’s Dialogues

All of the reading questions for this course, whether for this work or another, are designed to aid in your comprehension of the texts under discussion. By “comprehension” I mean your ability to understand the major concepts, ideas, arguments, issues and topics that are contained in the text. Remember, you cannot read these texts like you would read a “textbook” or a “newspaper.” You should not be reading merely to gain information (facts, data) from these texts—you should be reading to enlarge understanding. So, all of these questions will ask you to think seriously about the text. However, on top of this, there are always some basic things you need to know about any text we are reading, so all “reading questions” will start with some basic questions about the text itself.

NOTE: All references to the text are given by the Stephanus Number—these are the numbers that run along the margins of the text.

Plato articulates his thought through finely wrought dialogues. They are not plays, since there is no stage direction, and the focus is not on an action or series of actions. Instead, they present themselves as reproductions of conversations between (usually) Socrates and any number of other interlocutors. Because of this style, many people enjoy reading Plato’s works. Of course, for the same reason, there are many people who find Plato’s work difficult to read. The key, generally speaking, is to watch the flow and pattern of the conversation. What is the topic being discussed? How are the questions of the dialogue initially posed, refined, and worked out? What are the arguments presented and how are they criticized within the context of the dialogue (if they are)? It is useful, at times, to consider carefully, who is part of the conversation and what the setting and situation is in which the conversation takes place. In the end, you must try to grasp the sense of the dialogue as a whole work. Often, as we shall see, the putative purpose of the dialogue is left unfulfilled –the primary question asked at the beginning is never answered, or the primary problems are never resolved. This suggests that the actual purpose and point of the dialogue may be other than what is stated. In the end, just read and think carefully. All references to Plato’s dialogues will use the Stephanus numbers that appear in the margins of the text.

Basic Questions for all of Plato’s texts:

Who are the primary characters in the dialogue?
What is the action of this dialogue? What basic question or goal does Socrates have that sets the dialogue in motion? (Why is he talking to these people?) Does this remain the same throughout the dialogue or does it change?
Remember: this is a philosophical dialogue, which means that there will be arguments composed throughout the text. Try to identify all of the arguments that you find within the text and outline them. What do you think of these arguments? Are the convincing? Why or why not? Consider carefully what the arguments are trying to prove, singly or altogether.

Euthyphro

1. What do you think is the significance of the setting of this dialogue? What do you make of Euthyphro’s character and his mission?

2. Take some time and outline the number of attempts that Euthyphro makes to define “piety.” After listing Euthyphro’s attempted definition, write out Socrates’ critique (or questioning) of that definition. Pay particular attention to the problem of contradiction –is it true, for example, the Euthyprho’s first adequately formed definition leads to a self-contradiction as Socrates claims (8a)?

3. What is Socrates looking for in a definition of “piety?” Do you think that Socrates is asking after the impossible? That is, that no such definition is possible? But, ask yourself this: if that is true, if there is no definition of piety, then what do we mean when we use the word? (Is this also true of such words like beauty, justice, etc.?)

4. Consider this question carefully: Do the Gods’ (or does God) love a pious act because it is pious, or is an act pious because the God’s (or God) loves it? Another way to put this same point: Is it something (some act) wrong (impious or immoral) because God says that it is so, or does God say it is wrong because it is wrong (9c-11b)?

5. Take the above question and examine what happens if you answer it one way or the other.

6. What picture of Socrates’ character do you get from this dialogue? Do you think that the analogy with Daedalus is accurate (11c)? If so, then who is Daedalus: Socrates or Euthyphro?

7. What do you think Euthyphro ought to do now with respect to his father, after this conversation with Socrates? Should he pursue his lawsuit, or should he drop it?

8. What does it mean that we never get an answer to the question “what is piety?” How are we to take this? Or, is there an answer, but not just fully recognized or articulated as such?

9. Consider carefully, what sense of Socrates’ character do you get from this dialogue? Why do you think he engages Euthyphro in this particular conversation? Is it merely for the purpose that he explicitly states, or do you think something else may be going on?

Apology

What are the “old accusations” leveled at Socrates? Or, what is the prejudice that has developed against Socrates over the course of his life? Socrates also refers to these as the “stock charges against philosophers.” What are the “new accusations” with which Socrates is charged? These are the charges that Socrates is specifically on trial for in the dialogue.
Who are Socrates’ accusers (the new ones)? There are three of them.
In defending himself against the old accusations or the prejudice, Socrates tells the story of Chaerephon going to the Oracle of Delphi. What is the question that Chaerephon asks the Oracle and what is the Oracle’s response? What is Socrates’ response to the Oracle’s pronouncement?
Why does Socrates begin to examine other people? What are the various classes of people that Socrates approaches during his examination (try to work these out in order)? What is the common mistake that all of these people make, according to Socrates –that is, why does Socrates think that he is wiser than them, even though they know things that he does not? What is their usual reaction to be examined by Socrates?
What is the conclusion that Socrates reaches after this process or series of examinations?
After he is convicted, what punishments does Socrates propose for that he should “suffer”? What possible punishment does he wholly reject?
What is Socrates’ prophecy after he is condemned to death?
According to Socrates, death is one of two possibilities –what are they?
What is Socrates’ last request?
When Socrates is combating the prejudice that developed against him over his life, he relates a conversation he has with Callias concerning educating his sons in “the virtue that belongs to men and citizens.” He goes on to say that “he does not possess it.” What does the “it” refer to here? Is he saying he does not possess knowledge of virtue? Or, is he saying he does not possess the ability to teach virtue? Based on everything Socrates does say over the course of his defense, does either answer seem correct?
Throughout the defense Socrates repeatedly claims that he is not a teacher. What does he mean by this? In what way is he not a teacher?
How does Socrates interpret the meaning of the Oracle’s pronouncement? What do you think he means by “human wisdom”? What other sort of wisdom might there be?
In his discussion with Meletus, Socrates proposes three arguments that should show that Meletus’ charges are so much nonsense. What are these arguments? How strong are these arguments? Why weren’t the persuasive, do you think?
Why doesn’t Socrates fear death? Do you think he is right not to fear death?
Does Socrates ever claim to “know” anything? If so, what does he claim to know?
What is the most important thing about living, according to Socrates? That is, what is it we should be concerned about? What are the things that should be of less or even no concern to us?
At one point Socrates says: “for it is not human the way in which I have neglected all my own interests and permitted my private affairs to be neglected now for so many years, while occupying myself unceasingly in your interests, going to each of you privately, like a father or an elder brother, trying to persuade him to care for virtue” (19). What is he assuming about human nature in this passage? What seems to be the nature of virtue here?
Socrates claims that he does Athens a service –acting as a “gadfly” (19). What is this service? Is he right? Does he provide a service?
Socrates claims that “an unexamined life is not worth living” (24) –what does he mean by this? Is he right? How does one live an examined life? Do you live an examined life?

Phaedo

1. What is at issue in this dialogue? That is, what is Socrates trying to prove?

2. Consider the setting of this dialogue –how does this alter your analysis of its arguments and purpose?

3. How do the “forms” enter into the dialogue? How are they defined or described here? (Note, passage on absolute justice and the like.)

4. What is the importance of “recollection” here?

5. Examine carefully the argument Socrates gives concerning the concept of “equality.” How does he use this to prove that we learn through “recollection?”

6. How does recollection then prove our souls are immortal? Take the argument in full here.

Phaedrus

What is the basic thesis or point that Lysias’ speech (read by Phaedrus) and Socrates’ first speech (made in response to Lysias’ speech)? What is Lysias’ argument? What argument does Socrates make to support the thesis? Do you think that Socrates speech was better than Lysias? Is his argument significantly different?
Why do you think that Socrates veils (covers) his face before he makes his first speech? (237a)
What causes Socrates to make his second speech? Why, in other words, does Socrates “recant?”(243e9)
Socrates’ second speech is complicated but very important. Consider these questions as you read it:

What are the types of madness (manike) that Socrates discusses? Which is the “highest” form of madness?
Why does Socrates shift to talking about the soul? (245c5)
Try to work through the argument concerning the soul’s immortality very very carefully—it is very truncated and so difficult.
What is the nature of the soul? What does the soul desire or love? Why?
The “story” that Socrates tells about the nature of the soul and its journey is very long. What are the main components? What happens to the soul in the course of its journey? What determines how and whether a soul will rise or fall? What determines how and why a soul will be reborn?
How does LOVE enter into this story? How does love or its lack impact the journey of the soul?
What, finally, are the benefits that a lover can confer upon her beloved?

After Socrates’ second speech, he and Phaedrus begin to talk about rhetoric or oration. This composes a good third or half of the dialogue. What is the connection between the two parts of the dialogue?
How is rhetoric defined? What are the problems or criticisms of rhetoric that Socrates puts forward?
What is the conclusion of this part of the dialogue? What is the advice or message that Phaedrus and Socrates must deliver to Lysias and Isocrates?
How is love being defined in the dialogue as a whole? What is its importance in human life—individually and politically?

Symposium

Phaedrus offers the first speech in praise of Eros. Given that we have met Phaedrus before, and he has already discussed rhetoric and Eros with Socrates, what do you think of his speech? What do you think of the nature of love depicted here? Does it seem that Phaedrus gets to the heart of the matter?
Pausanias distinguishes between a heavenly and earthly Eros—how does he make this distinction? What is the importance of making this distinction? How does Pausanias’ description here reflect upon Alcibiades’ description of Socrates at the close of the dialogue? Are there parallels or differences? What kind of lover is Socrates?
How does Eryximachus’ praise differ from that of Pausanias and Phaedrus? Why do you think that his speech is preceded by Aristophanes getting the ‘hiccups’ and then followed by Aristophanes’ speech?
Aristophanes’ praise is characteristically “comic”—he was a comedic playwright in ancient Athens. But, what do you think of the myth that he puts forward here? What are the basic “truths” or insights into the human condition that he is playing on or with? How true are these insights? What are we all striving for, and how possible is it that we can find it?
Agathon’s speech is particularly interesting. He first begins with a criticism of the earlier speeches and a promise to correct what was lacking in them. What is his criticism and how does he correct it? How satisfactory is his understanding or praise of Eros? It is interesting to note that “agathos” means “beautiful” in Greek—so, Agathon’s name is a derivation of this word for beautiful. Does this impact your reading of his speech?
What is the primary import of Socrates questioning of Agathon? What does he question him about, and what does he “conclude” from this brief dialogue?
What do you think of the characterization of the nature of “desire” (Eros) presented in the discussion with Agathon? Is it the case that those who possess beauty do not desire it and that only the ugly desire the beautiful? Is this what Socrates is after?
What does Socrates learn from Diotima? How significant is it that he learns the truth of love from a woman, the only female figure in this dialogue aside from a brief mention of Alcestis in Phaedrus’ speech?
What are the steps in the education of a youth from love of singular beauty to the love of true beauty? What accounts for moving up this ladder or through these steps?
What happens when Acibiades enters the scene? How does he “praise” Socrates? What does it mean that at the end of a dialogue in praise of love, we end with a “praise” of Socrates? What do you think of the picture of Socrates’ character that is painted here?