Course Information
Course title
Plato and the Sophists 
Semester
109-1 
Designated for
COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS  GRADUATE INSTITUTE OF PHILOSOPHY  
Instructor
I-Kai Jeng 
Curriculum Number
Phl7528 
Curriculum Identity Number
124 M8080 
Class
 
Credits
3.0 
Full/Half
Yr.
Half 
Required/
Elective
Elective 
Time
Wednesday 7,8,9(14:20~17:20) 
Remarks
The upper limit of the number of students: 15. 
Ceiba Web Server
http://ceiba.ntu.edu.tw/1091Phl7528_ 
Course introduction video
 
Table of Core Capabilities and Curriculum Planning
Table of Core Capabilities and Curriculum Planning
Course Syllabus
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Course Description

Our conception of philosophy is largely due to Plato’s dialogues, which provide a transfigured portrait of his teacher Socrates as the ideal philosopher. This determination of what it means to be a philosopher often occurs in the dialogues in terms of contrasts: the contrast between the philosopher and the poet; that between the philosopher and the sophists (sophistai). Plato’s reflection on the poets and the sophists share much in common, but this course will focus on the particular issues raised in his engagement with the latter.
Plato was concerned with sophists all his life, and thus one can see their presence in almost all his works in varying degrees. This course will begin with some fragments by the sophists, together with crucial passages from more difficult Platonic works, and then plunge right into five short- to medium-length dialogues in which Socrates directly confronts a contemporary sophist (or sophists) about certain topics. Our interpretation of the dialogues will be primarily guided by, but not limited to, the following questions: is language all-powerful? Is virtue teachable? What is the nature of convention or law (nomos)? Can one live the good life without practicing justice? Is pleasure the highest good? 

Course Objective
1.Acquisition of basic hermeneutic skills in interpreting Plato through a moderately careful reading of five of his dialogues.
2. Comprehension of the philosophical significance of the issue of “Plato and the Sophists.” 
Course Requirement
Be on time, read assignments before class, participate during class, finish the homework and tests. 
Student Workload (expected study time outside of class per week)
 
Office Hours
 
Designated reading
Gorgias, Encomium of Helen; On Non-Being
柏拉圖《智者》篇選讀段落;柏拉圖《米諾》篇選讀段落
柏拉圖的 Euthydemus, Hippias Major, Protagoras, 與 Gorgias 選讀;共三篇半對話錄 
References
Bartlett, Robert C. (2016) Sophistry and Political Philosophy. University of Chicago Press.
Lampert, Laurence (2010) “Protagoras: Socrates and the Greek Enlightenment,” in How Philosophy Became Socratic, University of Chicago Press, pp. 19-146.
Strauss, Leo (1983) “On the Euthydemus.” In: Studies in Platonic Political Philosophy, University of Chicago Press, pp. 67-88.
Wardy, Robert (1998) The Birth of Rhetoric: Gorgias, Plato, and their Successors. Routledge. 
Grading
 
No.
Item
%
Explanations for the conditions
1. 
In class discussion  
20% 
 
2. 
In class work 
60% 
 
3. 
Final essay 
20% 
 
 
Progress
Week
Date
Topic
Week 1
9/16  Introduction  
Week 2
9/23  Gorgias, Encomium, On Non-Being 
Week 3
9/30  Euthydemus 271a-290a 
Week 4
10/07  Euthydemus 290a-307c 
Week 5
10/14  Hippias Major 281a-293c 
Week 6
10/21  Hippias Major 293d-304e 
Week 7
10/28  Protagoras 309a-319a 
Week 8
11/04  Protagoras 319a-329b 
Week 9
11/11  Protagoras 329b-338e 
Week 10
11/18  Protagoras 339a-349a 
Week 11
11/25  Protagoras 349b-362a 
Week 12
12/02  Hippias Minor 
Week 13
12/09  Gorgias 447a-461b 
Week 14
12/16  Gorgias 461b-474c 
Week 15
12/23  Gorgias 474c-488b 
Week 16
12/30  期末報告課堂發表討論 
Week 17
1/06  柏拉圖與智者之爭小結