Please read the Cave Allegory (the last installment on Plato in BB Contents). Give an account of the allegory and briefly explain its meaning. To what extent do you find it congruent with the argument of Descartes’ First Meditation?
1. This assignment is to be written in paragraph form, not in point form.
2. You don’t have to consult sources beyond the readings for our course.
3. As in all university courses, you are expected to have a good command of the mechanics of writing—grammar, spelling and organization.
4. Structure your answer to the question topic as a mini essay. Start your essay with an introduction that states the question you are asked to explore. This initial paragraph is sometimes called a “thesis statement,” and for such a short form as our commentary it is to be a sentence or two.
Then develop your argument and present your evidence in the body of the essay. The body of the essay is the main section in which you must present and develop ideas; in our case, you need to address the question whether you would condemn or exonerate Socrates. Choose one or two arguments to support your view. Naturally, if you are in favour of condemning Socrates, you should discuss one or two (depending on the length and depth of your analysis) weakest – in your view – arguments raised by Socrates against his accusers. Alternatively, if in favour of exonerating Socrates, you should discuss one or two strongest – in your opinion – arguments he brought in his own defense.
When your argument is complete and well-presented, end your essay with a conclusion that summarizes the problem/question at stake and re-states the verdict that has emerged from your discussion of Socrates’ arguments. The conclusion of your essay, like the introduction, should be brief.
