DUE FRIDAY 3/23 Prep for Exhibition AND Commenting Assignment

DUE FRIDAY 3/23 Prep for Exhibition AND Commenting Assignment

Two things for homework:

1. Prep for Exhibition: This will be worth a homework grade – Bring a copy of your interaction essay from first semester. Exhibition is next week and it is vital that we prep for it. If you can’t find the hard draft or your personal electronic copy - SIMPLY PRINT IT OUT FROM TURNITIN.COM OR FROM YOUR D.P. You don’t have to do anything with it yet, but you must bring it to class on Friday.

AND

2. Before we had “blog groups,” but for now just consider your table/group to be your “blog group.”

Comment on one blog entry for everyone in your blog group (table). You choose what you want to comment on. It has been a while since we have commented, so you can go back as far as our Homer work.

Remember, be specific, be helpful, and be nice. No violations of the latter (be nice) will be tolerated. Be nice.

Your comments should be about a paragraph long. They don’t have to be long paragraphs, but don’t just say “that’s great.” Be specific, ask questions, answer questions, leave comments that include examples and/or explanations etc…

For Your Amusement

I know that most of you have made, or are making, pong games for school. Others of you are - how can I say it? ... a little nutty ... about video games and computer technology generally, so with that in mind, if you are interested you can follow this link to an article in The New Yorker magazine about computer simulations and a guy named Will Wright ... It starts with, you guessed it, pong.

http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2006/11/06/061106fa_fact

Warning: It's long.

Period 4 - DUE THUR 3/22 - Optional

Period 4, if you are interested in having me consider a Socratic Seminar prompt please post it here. The best starting questions are general, not specific. BUT if you have a specific question, by all means, you SHOULD propose it during the seminar.

PLEASE DO NOT POST YOUR WRITTEN RESPONSE TO ANY PROMT HERE

Mr. J

Period 1 - DUE THUR 2/22 - Optional

Period 1, if you are interested in having me consider a Socratic Seminar prompt please post it here. The best starting questions are general, not specific. BUT if you have a specific question, by all means, you SHOULD propose it during the seminar.

PLEASE DO NOT POST YOUR WRITTEN RESPONSE TO ANY PROMT HERE

Mr. J

DUE THR 3/22 - Prep for Seminar

DUE THR 3/22

Prepare for Socratic Seminar by writing at least one-half page on at least one of the following prompts, or create your own prompt. If you create your own prompt remember it must be an interpretive question, meaning there is more than one possible answer (but you only have to provide one answer in your response).

Don’t forget to add this to your blog and put the prompt in bold. Don’t forget to print this, and all the rest of your notes, to the seminar so you can refer to it during the seminar.

Some of these prompts are student generated – thanks for sharing the ideas!

DO NOT CHOOSE A PROMPT THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY USED UNLESS YOU PLAN TO WRITE SOMETHING DIFFERENT

1) What do you think is the best definition of justice? It can be one of the views expressed in The Republic, a modification of one or more of them, or something completely different.

2) Who is right, Socrates or Thrasymaschus? Why?

3) Does might make right?

4) Write your reaction to the following statement: Wheter or not an action is right or wrong is less important than wheter or not it benefits the interests of the agent.

5) What are the political and/or moral consequences of Socrates idea that justice is not fundamentally a matter of the government? What are the political and/or moral implications of what Thraymachus says? Do you think there another way of looking at it, one that Socrates and/or Thrasymachus have not thought about?

6) In your opinion, does injustice pay? Why or why not? What would Socrates and/or Thrasymachus say in response to your answer?

7) In your opinion, is it ever right to harm somebody? Why or why not? What would Socrates and/or Thrasymachus say in response to your answer?

8) Do you think that someone who is enlightened (has seen the "light of knowledge") will be better or worse as a law maker than someone still in the cave, though many of their subjects are in the cave as well? Remember that a man who has seen the light can't see in the darkness of the cave and a man in the cave is blinded by the light.

9) In the “Simile of the Cave”, do you think there is any part that has to do with the subject of justice?

10) If you act justly, will you find happiness? (Socrates)

Announcement - political parties

Period 1 - A question came up in period one and Mr. Ross was nice enough to find this link that explains the origions of the symbols representing the Republican and Democratic parties.

http://www.infoplease.com/askeds/donkey-elephant.html

Thanks Mr. Ross

DUE WED 3/21 Republic Assignment

Don’t forget to cut/paste the questions and answers and to post them on your blog with the questions in bold. Print out your work and keep it in your binder so you can reference it in class.

Read the italics on p. 37 (that's right, only one paragraph). Read the rest of the section, up to p. 40, if you like. It is not required.

As you read, remember that function means purpose. When Socrates talks about a person or a thing’s “function” he means his/her/its purpose. The function of a student is to learn, the function of a knife is to cut etc…

Minimum one long paragraph

Prompt: In your opinion, how can acting “right” (i.e. justly) help or harm the achievement of happiness? In your answer you need to first establish, in true Socratic fashion, what you mean by "right" (justice) and what you mean by happiness. What do you think Socrates would say about what you wrote and/or what do you think Thrasymachus would say?

As usual you can develop your own prompt. If you do, keep in mind the guidelines I have written in the previous blogs.

If you are stuck with this section and cannot write anything about happiness and justice, then you can develop your own prompt based on another section from the Plato readings.

Due Tuesday, 3/20 Republic Assignment

Due Tuesday, 3/20

…. We should be able to start this in class

Read The Republic pp. 15-29 (that’s 14 pages)

Answer the following questions in your blog. Remember to cut/paste the question in your blog and highlight the question. Also, remember to print out your response so you can reference them in class.

There are two sections, you only have to do one of them, you choose.

Section One has short answers and an interpretive question response.

Section Two has the same, but you create your own interpretive question.

Section One:

Short answers, questions 1 and 2 (at least 2-5 sentences or bullet points, maybe more, per question)

1. Notice that our reading on Thrasymachus is divided into two parts. The first part is entitled – “First Statement and Criticisms”. In this first part, what are Socrates’ main argument(s) against the idea that justice is whatever the strong (i.e. the government) says it is?

2. In the second part – “Second Statement and Final Refutation” – what are Thrasymahcus’ two main points and what are Socrates’ two main points in response?

Paragraph response, or more, question 3:

Note that we might revisit some of these questions in a Socratic Seminar or as an essay prompt. Consider your response here as a rough draft of initial ideas that could be developed in more detail.

3. You can choose from one of the following prompts to write one paragraph or longer:

In your opinion, is it ever right to harm somebody? Why or why not? What would Socrates and/or Thrasymachus say in response to your answer?

OR

In your opinion, does injustice pay? Why or why not? What would Socrates and/or Thrasymachus say in response to your answer.

OR

The implication of Socrates argument against Thrasymachus is that justice lies outside the government – it is “above” the physical world of political activity (in other words, it is “metaphysical”). What are the political and/or moral consequences of Socrates implication that justice is not a matter of the government? What are the political and/or moral implications of what Thraymachus says? Do you think there another way of looking at it, one that Socrates and/or Thrasymachus have not thought about?

Section II.

Short answers, questions 1 and 2 (at least 2-5 sentences or bullet points, maybe more, per question)

1. Notice that our reading on Thrasymachus is divided into two parts. The first part is entitled – “First Statement and Criticisms”. In this first part, what are Socrates’ main argument(s) against the idea that justice is whatever the strong (i.e. the government) says it is?

2. In the second part – “Second Statement and Final Refutation” – what are Thrasymahcus’ two main points and what are Socrates’ main points in response?

Paragraph response, or more, question 3:

Note that we might revisit some of these questions in a Socratic Seminar or as an essay prompt. Consider your response here as a rough draft of initial ideas that could be developed in more detail.

3.Write your own interpretive prompt/question:

Criteria for writing your own prompt/question

1) It must be related to the text and you must have to refer/cite the text in your answer

2) It must be interpretive, or “open” – there must be multiple ways of answering it ( of course you only have to write about one response.

3) You must demonstrate that you read the text and that you have thought about it, not necessarily that you are “right”, but that you thought about the text.

DUE FRI 3/16 Personal Reflection and Plato Assignment

DUE FRI 3/16

The following is class work for Friday 3/16 while I’m away. There is no homework, but if you don't finish something in class you can do it over the weekend.

1. If you did not finish yesterday’s class work, you can do it today (Friday). I will collect it when I return on Monday 3/19.

2. Blog entry: “Personal Reflection 3/16” – Since Socratic philosophy is largely about definitions, lets start with some of our own. In one paragraph (or more) define what a friend is and how you should act towards a friend. Instead of that, you can write a paragraph (or more) that defines what an enemy is and how you should act towards an enemy. Of course you can also write about both if you like. These are topics that you will read about in the assignment below.

3. Read The Republic Part I Section 2. “The Conventional View of Justice Developed” pp. 8-15

Answer question(s) from one or more of the sections that follow. You have to answer all the questions in each section, but you only have to answer one section. Don’t forget to cut/paste them into your blog and to print them out and keep them in your binder for easy access later.

Section 1

Short responses 2-5 sentences

A) In your opinion, is Polemarchus definition of justice, derived from the poet Simonedes, an improvement from his father’s definition?

AND

B) What is Simonides definition of justice? Has Polemarchus interpreted him correctly?

AND

C) What problem does Socrates see in the phrase, “helping one’s friends and harming ones enemies”? Why is this not an accurate definition of justice?

AND

D) What lesson do you think Socrates/Plato is trying to prove by having Polemarchus give in to Socrates when his father (Cephalus) would not?

AND

E) Whose argument do you find more convincing, Polemarchus or Socrates? Why? (This should be a longer response, short paragraph, about 5 sentences).

Section 2

Paragraph response

A) Amongst other things, Socrates strategy includes an attempt to define a friend (Section 334c-335b) and a critique of the idea that a just man can do harm (Section 335b-336a). Why did he start this line of questioning? What questions does he ask and what responses does he get that leads him to win the argument? Are his points valid and convincing?

AND

B) List 3-5 of the questions that Socrates asks that you think are the most useful in arguing against Polemarchus. Why are these questions useful for Socrates purposes?

AND

C) What lesson do you think Socrates/Plato is trying to prove by having Polemarchus give in to Socrates when his father (Cephalus) would not? Short answer response

Section 3

Write your own interpretive prompt/question. However, before you do you must also try to answer my question, What lesson do you think Socrates/Plato is trying to prove by having Polemarchus give in to Socrates when his father (Cephalus) would not?

Criteria for writing your own prompt/question

1) It must be related to the text and you must have to refer/cite the text in your answer

2) It must be interpretive, or “open” – there must be multiple ways of answering it.

3) You must demonstrate that you read the text and that you have thought about it, not necessarily that you are “right”, but that you thought about the text.

4) The response must be at least ½ page long.

4. Work on digital portfolios – don’t forget to add your Fahrenheit 451 essay or other essays that you want to have on there. YOU MUST HAVE YOUR FLASH ANIMATION ON YOUR D.P. FOR EXHIBITION, which is in two weeks.

Good Thinking,

Mr. J

Student Generated Questions

Use this space to leave questions related to content (i.e. justice and The Republic) which could later be used in a Socratic Seminar. Lots of good things have been coming out of class discussion that we might want to pursue in greater depth.

This is not required, but I know there are some good ideas out there, so I hope a lot of you share. I assume that as we read more of The Republic you will continue to generate more questions.

If you think that a question or a statement directly from The Republic would be good to discuss, such as a question posed by Socrates, you can mention that also.

Here is the criteria:

1. Questions must be related to justice or other issues pertaining to justice that we have read about in The Republic.

2. Question must be open. In other words, there can't be one simple answer - multiple answers must be possible.

3. A response to the question must be able to reference or cite The Republic at some point. The seminar discussion can stray from the text a little, but not too much, so keep that in mind while generating questions.

Good Thinking,

Mr. J

P.S. Don't forget the homework in the entry right below