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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 does Strepsiades think about the education Socrates offers him?

2. Which of the following terms best describes Pheidippides?

3. Which of the following is NOT one of the character traits of Socrates in The Clouds?

4. How does Pheidippides justify his violent action toward Strepsiades?

5. What is Aristophanes' general attitude toward Socrates?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Strepsiades react to Socrates' course of study in the Thinkery? How does Socrates in turn respond to Strepsiades?

2. What violent action does Pheidippides visit upon his father? How does Pheidippides justify his action?

3. What is Crito in relationship to Apology? What is the setting and premise of Crito?

4. According to Socrates, why must experts always be obeyed?

5. What is the nature of the fight Strepsiades and Pheidippides have when Strepsiades throws a party for his son?

6. What are the consequences of breaking the law?

7. Why did Socrates offer such a meek defense and go to prison and his death so willingly?

8. What is the nature of Strepsiades' most pressing problem? What does he hope to learn from Socrates? What does Socrates in turn teach him?

9. What gives law authority, according to Socrates?

10. In Apology, what is Socrates' message in a final speech, both to his jurors and to those who defended him?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Piety is an important topic in the dialogues of Plato.

1) What stance does Socrates take in regards to piety in Euthyphro? What definition of piety does he offer, and how does he refute Euthyphro's definition?

2) How does Socrates compare his spiritual beliefs to the beliefs of the citizens of Athens?

3) Why does Socrates believe he is a pious man? Why is he charged for being impious?

Essay Topic 2

In Apology, Socrates sets up a conflict between science and religion.

1) Why are science and religion in conflict, at least in the world of Athens, according to Socrates?

2) What danger does science pose to Athenian society? Why are scientists often accused of atheism in this society?

3) What compels Socrates to pursue trains of thought that could be said to resemble science?

4) How does Socrates, in his Apology defense, reconcile science and religion? Can the two coexist?

Essay Topic 3

The characterization of Socrates is quite different in Plato's dialogues versus Aristophanes' The Clouds. Explain the nature of this difference, using specific examples from each text. This could include personality as well as philosophical beliefs.

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