Death in the Apology:
1. 2 complete pages (no less than)
2. Double-spaced No extra spacing between paragraphs
3. 11-12 point font
4. Times New Roman or Calibri
5. One inch margins on top, bottom, right, left
6. Separate title page with Your name, Class, Semester, Teacher’s name [No title necessary]
-DO NOT put any of the title page information at the top of the 1st page of your paper.
-DO NOT put your name next to any page numbers
7. Citations: Cite when you quote or paraphrase from the text.
-You will be expected to cite only in the following manner. Note that you will not be citing page numbers. The period always goes at the very end.
Exact Quotation: Socrates claims that “one should never do wrong in return, nor do any man harm, no matter what he may have done to you” (49c).
Paraphrase: Socrates thinks harming another person is never morally justified even when one is responding to a wrong done to oneself (49c).
II. Assignment: Explore one of the following issues from Socrates. You will be required to cite from the text. No less than four substantive quotes.
1. Death in the Apology: Socrates lays out three reasons not to fear death. (a) What are these three reasons? see 29a-b, 40d-41-d, and 40e-41c. (b) Are these three reasons enough to alleviate your fears? Explain why or why not. (c) Are there other reasons not to fear death that Socrates fails to mention? If so what are they? (d) Is Socrates correct to think that it is irrational to fear the unknown?
2. Corrupting the Youth: Socrates puts forth a defense of why he is not corrupting the youth (Apology24c-25c). (a) In what way does Socrates make an analogy between his own role in educating the youth and that of a horse breeder? (b) At around 25b, Socrates mentions the “majority.” In what way is Socrates’s distinction between the “majority” and “minority (see, for instance, 44c, 46c, 47b-d, 48a-c, 49b-d) related to the analogy of the horse breeder. (c) What is Socrates saying about himself in comparison to others like Meletus?
3. Your own on my approval. If you have a topic you are interested in, speak with me on a plan of action to deal with a question you are interested based on the text. You will have to show me in what way you will be using the text to discuss the issue. Must be approved by me no later than Wed., Sept 24.
III. Grading:
A Work is coherent, especially insightful, and free of errors. In an exceptional way it illuminates the text. Directions are followed exactly.
B Work is coherent and largely free of errors and demonstrates solid understanding of the text.
C Work is largely coherent, may be marred by errors and demonstrates a basic understanding of the text.
D Work lacks significant coherence, is full of errors and demonstrates minimal understanding of the text.
F Work is incoherent, sloppy and misses the point of the assignment.
IV. Advice:
1. Aim to beclear and conciseand not profound. Better to be simple than complicated. If you find that your sentences are getting long, shorten them. The more complex a topic, the simpler one needs to be in writing about it.
2. Topic vs. Thesis:
Topic: This paper is about. . . .
Example: This paper is about Socrates’s theory of knowledge.
Thesis: This paper will arguethat. . . .
Example: This paper will argue that Socrates’s theory of knowledge fails to account for how the brain works.
3. Tell the readerwhose ideas are being discussed:
“According to Socrates.. . .”
“I disagree with Socrates because.. . .”
“Euthyphroclaims. . . .”
“The paper argues that. . . .”
“In contrast to Socrates, the paper argues. . . .”
“A counter-argument to my claim might be . . . .”
4. Indicate to the readerwhat part of the paper he or she is reading:
“In this first part of the paper, we will describe Socrates’s position by looking at what he says in the Apology.”
“Now that we have looked at Socrates’s position, the paper shall next give a response.”
“In conclusion. . . .”
5. The introduction describes what the paper aims to do. No need to be fancy and creative. State that the paper will (a) describe Socrates’s view on whatever particular issue you have chosen and (b) provide a critical analysis of his view. Also state that the basis of your paper is textual (which will involve citing from the text.)
Do not tell me that Socrates was a great philosopher who lived long, long ago in some distant time and place. That is what we call “filler.”
6. Grammar counts. Grammar is the means by which ideas are expressed. No matter how good one’s idea or insight, if one’s sentences are poorly written, the substance of the idea is lost. Go to the Writing Center if you know that grammar, organization, or punctuation is a problem for you.
Use of Diana Hacker’s A Writer’s Reference. Eighth Edition
A. Managing information; avoiding plagiarism: Researching, pp. 341-47
B. Supporting a thesis: pp. 460-63
C. Citing sources; avoiding plagiarism: pp. 463-66
E. Documenting Sources: pp. 471-81