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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. Who doesn't deserve to live according to the masses?

2. What do the ones that fear death love more than wisdom according to Socrates?

3. Who are "the Eleven" according to Phaedo?

4. What does Socrates say cannot be attained as long as the body and the soul are fused?

5. What does Socrates say the body is responsible for?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Socrates state about the fusion of body and soul at the beginning of 66b-72e?

2. What do Cebes and Simmias claim about the wise?

3. What does Socrates claim are not the great goods of life?

4. What does Cebes ask about committing suicide and what does Socrates admit?

5. What belief of Simmias' does Socrates question?

6. What does Socrates say should be the one goal of the philosopher?

7. What does Echecrates ask Phaedo at the beginning of "Phaedo"?

8. What does Socrates wonder about in regards to knowledge?

9. Based on the beginning of 73a-81, what does Socrates teach about recollection?

10. What does Socrates say about the gods at the end of 57a-62c?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Phaedo argues that Socrates gives three compelling reasons why the study of philosophy is valuable in itself. In an essay, discuss the three reasons introduced by Socrates and analyze their effectiveness. Use examples from the text to support your discussion.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the setting used in the Socratic dialogues presented in Plato's "Phaedo". How does setting affect the means of argument? The content? Why is the setting important?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the analogy used in "Phaedo" for thinking that the soul is like the attunement of a musical instrument. Discuss whether the arguments are convincing and what conclusions can be drawn from this analogy. Students may use the text and secondary sources to support the discussion.

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This section contains 623 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample