'Death of Socrates', painted by Jacques Louis David (1787): The scene portrays the execution
of Socrates by hemlock poisoning after he was found guilty as charged by the Athenian court in 399 B.C.
Class Assignments and Notes
Week 1: M/ Introduction to the Course
W/ Background to the Study of the Trial of Socrates
Read The Trials of Socrates, pp. vii-x
Reading Questions on Plato's "Euthyphro", pp. 3-15
Week 2: The Socratic method of teaching (elenchus)
W/ Reading Questions on Plato's "Euthyphro", pp. 15-25
In-Class papers on the "Euthyphro"
Week 3: Plato’s account of Socrates’ speech in the "Apology"
M/ Reading Questions on Plato's "Apology", pp. 26-39
W/ Reading Questions on Plato's "Apology", pp. 39-48
In-Class papers on the "Apology"
Complete your reading of the "Apology", pp. 49-61
Week 4: M/ Reading Questions on Plato's "Crito", pp. 62-78
In-Class papers for Monday and Wednesday
W/ Reading Questions on Xenophon's "Socrates' Defense"
Week 5: M/ Read Aristophanes' "The Clouds", TS, pp. 84-186
Summary and Reading Questions
W/ Discussion of Aristophanes' Portrayal of Socrates
Read the selection from Plato's "Phaedo", TS, pp.79-83
Week 6: M/ Lecture notes on the Copernican Revolution before Galileo
W/ First Essays are due
Video on Galileo
Galileo facing the Roman Inquistion in 1633 by Cristiano Banti (1857)
Week 7: M/ Read Discoveries and Opinions of Galileo, pp. 1-26, 51-58
W/ Read Discoveries and Opinions of Galileo, pp. 145-86
Week 8: M/ Read Discoveries and Opinions of Galileo, pp. 186-216
SPRING BREAK
Week 9: M/ Brecht's Galileo, Scenes 1-6
W/ Brecht's Galileo, Scenes 7-9
Week 10: M/W Brecht's Galileo Scenes10-14
