The Greek Classical era produced many great ideas that are still relevant today. The two most influential philosophers were Plato and Aristotle, both of whom are still studied extensively. In the on-campus class, we review a couple of their works and discuss them during our class meetings. The purpose of this assignment is to review these and provide your thoughts on them.
Below you will again find the passage from Plato’s Republic, the famous “Allegory of the Cave,” from Book VII of Plato’s Republic:
As with most philosophical texts, this passage might be a little confusing so have added the first video to supplement the reading. This is a brief video, and you will still need to read Plato’s Allegory to answer the first prompt, as you will need to refer to a specific quote from Socrates and page number
Plato’s Allegory of the Cave – TED Ed
The second video is about one of Aristotle’s great ideas: virtue ethics. Since his passage is lengthier than Plato, I did not include a passage to read. However, the following video from Crash Course will help you understand it as a whole:
Aristotle and Virtue Theory
In your post, you will need answer the following questions:
1. What is Socrates’ overall purpose with the Allegory of the Cave? Refer to a specific explanation from Socrates within the passage and include a page number.
2.Based on the second video, how can you best explain Aristotle’s ideas on virtue? Include the “golden mean” in your explanation.
3. In a few sentences, explain what is meant by “eudaimonia”?
4. What is your own personal point of view on these ideas from Plato and Aristotle? Can you see evidence where these ideas could be relevant today?
