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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 term did the Greeks use to refer to the souls of the departed?

2. In what area of thought did the Pythagorean school excel?

3. According to Crito and Socrates, is it just to harm another person if it is purely in retaliation?

4. When asked how to overcome the difficulty in the debate, what did Socrates suggest?

5. Who was on Socrates' team in the debate at the end of Book 5, Chapter 2?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is written in Book 5, Chapter 1, about risking the loss of one's life?

2. What is the setting of the Phaedo?

3. What were the ancient Greeks' beliefs regarding the afterlife?

4. What is the "transmigration of souls"?

5. What does Socrates say about misanthropy and "mislogic"?

6. What does Socrates think will happen after his death?

7. What do Socrates' friends say about suicide, and the preservation of life, in the "Phaedo"?

8. What evidence led Plato and the Pythagoreans to the theory of an eternal soul?

9. What does Tarrant use as an example to illustrate the differences in mentality, in this section, regarding death and suicide?

10. What new habit do Socrates' friends discover in the "Phaedo"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Many of the dialogues have to do with the concept of epistemology. What is epistemology? What does it have to do with philosophy? Why is it important? Why did Socrates concern himself with it? Are they ever able to reach a definitive conclusion? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the various theories presented regarding the topic of justice. What is it? How is it achieved? How does one tell what is just? What are the necessary conditions for one to be able to do what is just? Do you agree that Socrates did what was just when he accepted his punishment? Why or why not? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

Essay Topic 3

Tarrant agrees with the conviction passed down by the Athenian authorities. Do you agree that Socrates was guilty? Why or why not? How do you feel about the fact that he was convicted with only 60 of 500 votes? Did he deserve the death penalty? Why or why not? What do you think would happen to Socrates if he lived today? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

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This section contains 788 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample