Plato & the Greek Philosophers

By -
This morning, let's continue our philosophy with one of the greatest philosophers ever known: Plato. We will also take a look at a few other very important and influential philosophers: Pythagoras, Heraclitus, Socrates, and, of course, Aristotle. Epicurus and Zeno are also covered here. Since we've been talking about God, you can revisit St. Thomas Aquinas.

Plato was born around 427 BCE in Athens, Greece. He died in 347 BCE. He was a student of Socrates, and a teacher of Aristotle. He founded the Academy, a school in Greece. He is best known for his dialogues:
  • The Apology
  • The Phaedo
  • The Crito
  • The Republic (watch an animated version of The Allegory of the Cave voiced by Orson Welles)
  • The Symposium
He helped the human race discuss universals and the ideal, many of his ideas setting the groundwork for philosophers after him.

Learn more about Plato here at this link. Please read and consider how you might use some of Plato's ideas in a poem, story, scene, skit, non-fiction essay, travel memoir, etc.

We will be reading his Symposium (just in time for Valentine's Day). Please sign up to summarize one of the sections in The Symposium and prepare it for the class Friday.

During period 2, please continue working on your adventure drafts. You may also spend your time reading the homework, responding to it in your writing for your portfolio, or reviewing the links found above on the Greek philosophers.

HOMEWORK: Complete your adventure draft (and bring a draft to next class). Read the handout on the Greek Philosophers and their ideas. Read a chapter/section of The Symposium. Please sign up and read that section for FRIDAY, Feb. 14.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Namesake Analysis/Discussion Chp. 1 & 2; How It Feels To Be Colored Me

By -
Image
Let's go back to examining  The Namesake , Chapter 1 this morning to continue examining the writing style going on here. Take a closer look at these passages: Pg. 3 (1st full paragraph) to 4 (end of 1st full paragraph): How is Ashima's character compared/contrasted with the American women in the hospital? What do you notice about the sentence structure of this paragraph? What does the use of dialogue in this paragraph provide for the reader? What literary devices do you notice? Can you find figurative language/metaphor/alliteration or other elements of imagery? How are the sentences similar to a contraction (the action in the scene)? Pg. 10-12: how is Ashoke's character presented? How does his story parallel or contrast with his wife's? How is Ashoke different from the other American men in the waiting room? What details do we learn about him?  Pg. 13-14: Nickolai Gogol and the short story "The Overcoat" is alluded to here. Just notice it for now. This al
Read more

Clash of the Titans (Conclusion); Creation Myths

By -
Clash of the Titans (conclusion) Clash of the Titans   (1981)--produced and designed by  Ray Harryhausen . Directed by  Desmond Davis . Starring:  Laurence Olivier  as Zeus,  Maggie Smith  as Thetis,  Harry Hamlin  as Perseus, and  Burgess Meredith  as Ammon. Clash of the Titans (2010) & Clash of the Titans (2010) Medusa Scene Wrath of the Titans (2012) Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief (2010) Percy Jackson Sea of Monsters (2013) Percy Jackson Titan's Curse (2017) Use mythic criticism to review (in writing or as a podcast or vlog post)  Clash of the Titans . Take notes during the film to help you prepare your review. Myth Criticism  asks: 1. How does the story resemble other stories in plot, character, setting or use of symbols? 2. Are archetypes presented, such as quests, initiations, scapegoats, descending, or withdrawals and returns? [Use your handout/notes to help!] 3. Does the protagonist undergo any kind of transformation (such as movement from innoc
Read more

Wilderness Tips - Examination & Analysis

By -
Image
Use period one to continue the story draft you started last class. Use your time to develop your ideas, theme, work on plot, character development, setting, and other aspects of your fiction writing. Remember, your story should include the following: Write a draft that includes a flashback . Consider an urban setting, but at some point in your story, move to a more natural setting. The setting should reflect the inner conflicts of your protagonist if possible. Avoid character cliches: surprise your reader (and possibly yourself or even your character) Include a secondary character who should act as a foil to the protagonist. Write in present tense ; (flashbacks can be written in past tense); Use 3rd person POV (limited, omniscient, objective). See the previous post for more details. Period 2: Let's discuss what we've read so far in the collection. Wilderness Tips is   Margaret Atwood’s second volume of short stories ( Bluebeard’s Egg and Other Stories (198
Read more