37 pages 1 hour read

Plato

Phaedrus

Nonfiction | Essay / Speech | Adult | BCE

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Essay Topics

1.

What, in your opinion, does Socrates actually believe about love? Does the fact that he argues both for and against love weaken or strengthen his arguments?

2.

Does Socrates’s use of myths and fables make his arguments more compelling? Are they meant to be seen more as entertainment? Support your reasoning by contrasting his first speech with one of his later speeches.

3.

How would you characterize Socrates’s description of his “scientific” method? Does it come from a genuine desire for clarity and knowledge, or is it simply a way of praising his own reasoning while invalidating that of Lysias and others?