What do you think about Socrates’ claim, in Phaedrus , that arguments start from where we agree and reach toward those areas where we disagree?
Essay/Presentation Questions
Essay1 Essay 2
To help you concretize your knowledge and help develop your thinking as philosophers, I’m going to ask you to tackle two (2) philosophical problems of your choice. These are “final” exams, and at least one must be done as a written essay. Using language is hard, and writing is a way of working with yourself to make your language as precise and analytical as possible–which can actually help you think better.
In the tradition of Socrates, your response to these questions must be your own thoughts . No help from others is allowed when you formulate your final ideas in speech or writing.
The specifications are:
For each essay: 800-1200 words
In any event, please choose one of the following topics for each of your personal philosophy meditations. You cannot use the same topic twice. Your response should draw on the thinkers we’ve read and discussed, OR/AND on your own research.
1. What do you think about Socrates’ claim, in Phaedrus , that arguments start from where we agree and reach toward those areas where we disagree? How does this understanding of “arguments” rely on how we treat each other, as part of its definition of how we achieve valid conclusions? What role do our personal desires have in these arguments?
2. Check out the Youtube videos on modern art, including the ones on graffiti artists. Do you think these artists are just trying to “imitate” something that is true? Or are they doing something else? Is their art itself a type of “speech”? Would these artists be able to “defend their art,” do you think? What does this suggest about the nature of “modern art?” ( Videos: To be posted on Blackboard).
3. The North Dakota pipeline is a huge pipe for moving crude oil in order to make gasoline. This is a major construction project, creating jobs and lots of profits for oil companies. But it also raises lots
of concerns that the surrounding land and water will be damaged, and local people have protested its construction for a long time. Is this type of construction a “technology” according to Plato? How so? What type of knowledge does it require? Who is fit to evaluate its successful use? Is this evaluation a matter of technological skill, or of politics? How would you go about trying to decide whether it should or should not be allowed?
4. Watch In the Time of Butterflies , about the Mirabal sisters. What are the general social causes ( arche) , as the video portrays them, behind the tyranny of the Trujillo regime? Is there any connection between the behavior of the father in the first scene, and the the bloodiness of the Trujillo regime? How can we explain this, considering that the Mirabal father clearly loves his daughters very much? What does this suggest about the relation between real, individual people, and social forces? Do the individual’s character and personality change the objective effect of their actions? How does this complicate morality?
5. Hermes is the Greek messenger god, usually carrying messages from the god of justice Zeus. You may remember him from Disney’s Hercules as a winged guy with sunglasses and a baton.
Interestingly, the word for interpreting words or text, hermeneutics , is derived from Hermes’ name. How is speech or writing like a “message”? Does it imply a certain distance from the speaker or writer? How does Plato grapple with this distance in his disparaging remarks about writing in the Phaedrus ?
6. Look at question 5. Hermes was famous for a few things–being able to fly, protecting travelers, and using his magic baton to either put people in a magic sleep, or wake them up. Let’s think about this last attribute: why is it fitting that Hermes, as the god of language, can either awaken people, or put them to sleep? What do you think the relation between speech and knowledge has to do with wakefulness? How do people use language in a way that either wakes you up or “pulls the wool over your eyes,” that is, makes you less aware of your surroundings? Is this the difference between dialectic and rhetoric?
Collepals.com Plagiarism Free Papers
Are you looking for custom essay writing service or even dissertation writing services? Just request for our write my paper service, and we'll match you with the best essay writer in your subject! With an exceptional team of professional academic experts in a wide range of subjects, we can guarantee you an unrivaled quality of custom-written papers.
Get ZERO PLAGIARISM, HUMAN WRITTEN ESSAYS
Why Hire Collepals.com writers to do your paper?
Quality- We are experienced and have access to ample research materials.
We write plagiarism Free Content
Confidential- We never share or sell your personal information to third parties.
Support-Chat with us today! We are always waiting to answer all your questions.