“The unexamined life is not worth living.”--Socrates (from the Apology)
- Before reading: brainstorming. Fill out THIS FORM.
- Reading out loud: "The Allegory of the Cave," pages 21-23 of the class packet. We will stop to make clarifications, answer questions, and stress important ideas. Then you will read the piece again and annotate the reading to your satisfaction. Please consult your dictionaries for any words you do not understand.
- Watch: "The Allegory of the Cave"
- Click on the scrambled summary of "The Allegory of the Cave" HERE. Answers to the summary HERE.
- Working in groups, match each symbolic element of the story with its philosophic meaning HERE. Answers HERE.
- Using only the symbolic meanings of the story, help me and your classmates summarize the meaning of Socrates’ story—what is he trying to explain to Glaucon about reality? Let's begin the summary with this signal phrase: In Plato’s “The Allegory of the Cave,” Socrates tells a story to his student Glaucon to explain ...
Homework:
In an MS document, answer TWO of the four questions below related to Plato's Allegory*. Each answer should be at least 250 words long. Paste your answers into THIS FORM:
- In our world, what is like Plato's cave ?
- How is the way you understand the world, your ideas and beliefs, shaped by the actions of others?
- Who has the power to shape your ideas and beliefs? In what ways is this good and in what ways is it not so good?
- Are there things you know to be true? What are they, and how do you know them?
Next Class: CAT-W Practice Test 2--do not be late!
