Students are asked to choose one prompt and write a short essay (between 4 and 5 double-spaced pages, Times New Roman, 12). The primary goal of this assignment is to make sure students master the assigned readings and are able to both compare authors and think critically through the authors’ ideas. Please, as with most academic essays, make sure that you briefly present your argument in the very first paragraph of your essay and that you unpack and develop your argument throughout the paper based on textual evidence. Any application of the clas sical authors’ ideas to contemporary scenarious should be properly argued.Chicago style with footnotes.
Plato, Republic (375 BC), Book I (pp. 1-31)
- Republic, Book II (pp. 32-59)
- Links to an external site.
- , Book III (pp. 88-93)
- Links to an external site.
- , Book IV (pp. 94-121)
- Links to an external site.
- . (62 pages)
Plato, Republic, Book V (pp. 122-156)
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Notes.
Plato – Democracy and Tyranny (Republic Book VIII)
● Democracy deteriorates into license — freedom beyond law.
● License → chaos, anarchy → rise of tyrant who promises order.
● Tyrant manipulates public desire for stability, centralizes power.
● Kalipolis (ideal city) degenerates through stages: aristocracy → timocracy →
oligarchy → democracy → tyranny.