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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the profession of Socrates?

2. What does Socrates claim about his relationship with his students?

3. What does Socrates say about death and the divine voice in his head?

4. What is the name of Zeus' father?

5. According to Socrates in Euthyphro, why don't wise men need to consult with the gods?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Socrates relate two aspects of his way of life to a defense of the charges against him?

2. What is Socrates' first response to the charge that he has corrupted Athens' youth?

3. What flaw does Socrates then find in the reasoning he laid out in previous Question #9?

4. According to Socrates, what reputation does he suffer from in Athens? How is this reputation related to Aristophanes' Clouds?

5. What is the Euthyphro, in general terms?

6. What special connection to divinity does each character in Euthyphro claim to possess?

7. What is Socrates' initial reaction to the first definition of piety provided in Euthyphro?

8. Describe Socrates' account of his encounter with the oracle at Delphi and how it relates to his status as a wise man.

9. Is Socrates innocent or guilty of the charges against him, in the eyes of Athens and its legal system?

10. What is the nature of the legal troubles the characters in Euthyphro are involved in?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Socrates provides his way of life as evidence of his innocence in the trial of Apology.

1) What is Socrates' "way of life"? How does his way of life relate to the "central question" of life, as he sees it?

2) Why does Socrates compare himself to Achilles, with respect to his way of life?

3) Why does Socrates compare himself to an inhuman pest, with respect to his way of life?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Plato's use of Socrates in many of his writings.

1) What does Socrates' frequent appearances in Plato's writing say about Plato's regard for Socrates?

2) How does Plato use Socrates to reveal his own ideas and philosophy?

3) Why might Socrates be appropriate for Plato's dialogue form? How does Plato use Socrates' Socratic method to arrive at philosophical truths?

Essay Topic 3

1) Explain the Socratic method. How is the method structured? What is the aim of this method? What logic is it based from? Why is Socrates known for this method?

2) Examine the discussion of piety in Euthyphro. How is the Socratic method used in this instance?

3) Examine the discussion of injustice in Crito. How is the Socratic method used in this instance?

(see the answer keys)

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