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Introduction to Ethics
Miller
Plato Study Guide

1. Introduction to Plato

Key Terms: Ionian natural philosophy, arche, kosmos, physis, logos, Sophist, sophistry, Protagoras,
relativism, objectivism, Gorgias, Antiphon, natural law, Critias, Socrates, dialectic, elenchus (Socratic
method), Socratic ignorance, Socratic irony, aporia, Plato, Form, participation, recollection, essence,
dialogue, Academy

1. What is an arche? Why does the search for an arche mark the beginning of philosophy in ancient
Greece?
2. What is a Sophist? What is sophistry? How does the philosophy of the Sophists differ from that of the
earlier natural philosophers?
3. What did Protagoras mean when he said that man is the measure of all things? Do you agree? Why or
why not?
4. Who was Gorgias, and what was he infamous for?
5. Explain Antiphons distinction between human law and natural law. Give an original example of a
human law and of a natural law. Explain Antiphons metaphor of the buried bed, and how it relates to the
distinction between human and natural law.
6. What is the Socratic method (elenchus)? What are the main steps of a Socratic elenchus? What is the
goal of a Socratic elenchus? Is it an effective method for discovering the truths which Socrates hoped to
discover?

2. Euthyphro

Key Terms: Euthyphro Problem, polytheism, monotheism

1. Who is Euthyphro and how does he come to meet Socrates? Why does Socrates ask Euthyphro to tell
him what piety is?
2. What is Euthyphros first attempt at telling Socrates what piety is? Why does Socrates reject
Euthyphros answer? What does this tell us about Socrates philosophical assumptions and methodology?
3. What is Euthyphros first attempt to give a proper definition of piety? What is Socrates objection?
4. In response to Euthyphros second attempt to define piety, Socrates raises a distinction between the
pious being loved by the gods because it is pious, and the pious being pious because its loved by the
gods. What does Socrates mean? Why does this pose a dilemma for Euthyphro, or for anyone who would
adopt a similar account of piety or other moral virtues?
5. Socrates, Euthyphro, and most other ancient Greeks were polytheists. If a person is a monotheist, is he
able to avoid the Euthyphro Problem? Why or why not?
6. What assumptions does Socrates make about the nature of the gods? How do Socrates beliefs about
the gods differ from those of other ancient Greeks? How do Socrates beliefs about the gods relate to his
philosophical views?
7. Socrates dialogue with Euthyphro ends without reaching an answer to the question What is piety?
What does this fact tell us about Socrates philosophical methodology?

3. Apology (Defense of Socrates)

Key Terms: daimon, oracle of Delphi

1. Who are Socrates early accusers? How does Socrates respond to their accusations?
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2. Who is the oracle of Delphi? What question did Socrates friend Chaerophon ask the oracle, and what
was the oracles answer? How did Socrates interpret this answer? What is the connection between the
story of the oracle and Socrates way of doing philosophy?
3. Socrates later accusers (Meletus, Anytus, and Lycon) charged him with corrupting the youth and
impiety. How does Socrates respond to these charges? How successful is his response?
4. Why according to Socrates should a good person not be afraid of death? Is Socrates argument
successful? Why or why not?
5. Why does Socrates compare himself to a gadfly (30e)? What examples does he give of times in which
he acted on behalf of justice and not on behalf of his own interest?
6. What is Socrates divine sign (daimon)? How does it work? How does Socrates interpret this sign?
How does the divine sign relate to Socrates philosophical mission?
7. After the trial, Socrates gives an argument for why death is a good thing. What is his argument? Is the
argument successful? Why or why not?

4. Republic I

1. What definition of justice is suggested by Cephalus? What objections does Socrates raise against this
definition?
2. What definition of justice is suggested by Polemarchus, based on his and Socrates interpretation of the
poet Simonides (332d)? What objections does Socrates raise against this definition?
3. Why does Thrasymachus accuse Socrates of being ironic? Is the accusation fair?
4. What is Plato trying to show in his dialogue using the character of Thrasymachus?
5. What definition of justice is proposed by Thrasymachus? What objections does Socrates raise against
this definition? How does Thrasymachus revise his definition in response to Socrates questioning?
6. What arguments does Thrasymachus give in support of the position that injustice is more advantageous
than justice? What objections does Socrates raise against Thrasymachus?
7. Socrates is accused by Thrasymachus of never asserting his own positions, but only attacking the
positions asserted by others. However, Socrates does seem to assert some beliefs in the course of his
examination of others positions. What beliefs of Socrates are revealed or discovered during his dialogue
with Thrasymachus?

5. Republic II

Key Terms: Callipolis, ring of Gyges

1. What are the three classes of goods proposed by Glaucon? Which class of goods does justice belong to,
according to the many? What arguments does Glaucon give in support of the view of the many?
2. What is the story of the ring of Gyges? What is the story supposed to prove?
3. What arguments about justice does Adeimantus add to those of his brother Glaucon? What is the
purpose of the arguments against justice put forth by Glaucon and Adeimantus?
4. Why does Socrates propose to first discuss justice in a city before discussing justice in individuals?
What objections could be raised against his reasoning?
5. Why, according to Socrates, do people live in cities? Do you agree with his account?
6. What is the purpose of the imaginary city which Socrates outlines at the end of Book II?
7. Why, according to Socrates, must the guardians of the city be a separate class from its farmers and
craftsmen? What does Socrates conclude about the nature of the guardians of the city?

6. Republic III

1. What does Socrates conclude about the nature of the rulers of the ideal city? What theory of political
rulership is suggested by Socrates account?
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2. What is a noble lie? What do you think justifies the use of a noble lie, according to Socrates? What
are some objections to Socrates account?
3. What is the myth of the metals? What function does it serve?
4. Why does Socrates propose a division between the ruling class of guardians and the auxiliary class of
guardians? What does Socrates propose for the living arrangements of the guardians? What are some
objections to his proposal?

7. Republic IV

1. What virtues does Socrates claim are present in the ideal city? What account does he give of these
virtues On what basis does he assert that these virtues are present in the ideal city?
2. What account of the soul does Socrates put forth? What are his arguments for this account? What are
some objections to his account of the soul?
3. What account does Socrates give of justice in the individual? What is the relation between justice in the
city and justice in the individual, on Socrates account? What objections could be raised?

8. Republic VI

Key Terms: divided line

1. Why according to Socrates will very few people be fit to rule the ideal city? What are some objections
to his position?
2. Why is knowledge of the good important for the rulers of the ideal city? Why does Socrates refuse to
give an account of the good? What accounts of the good does Socrates reject? Why do you suppose Plato
does not give an account of the good in the Republic?
3. Why does Socrates compare the good to the sun? Is this an apt comparison? What is the analogy of the
divided line (509d ff.)? What is it supposed to show? What theory of knowledge is expressed or implied
by the analogy of the divided line?

9. Republic VII

Key Terms: allegory of the cave

1. What is the allegory of the cave? What is it supposed to show?
2. How does Socrates conceive of a true philosopher? Why must philosophers be induced or persuaded to
rule the ideal city? What is Socrates proposal for getting the philosophers to serve as rulers? What
objections could be raised against Socrates account?

10. Republic IX

Key Terms: aristocracy (/ kingly government), democracy, oligarchy, timocracy, tyranny

1. How does Socrates conceive of the democratic man? What is the relation between democracy and the
democratic man? Why does Socrates believe that democracy leads to (or can lead to) tyranny?
2. What is Socrates implied critique of freedom? What is the relationship between freedom, the law, and
slavery on Socrates account? How plausible is Socrates view of freedom?
3. How does Socrates conceive of the tyrannical man? What is the relation between tyranny and the
tyrannical man?
3. How does Socrates conceive of the royal or the kingly man? How plausible is this position?
4. What according to Socrates are the five forms of government? How does he define them? What is the
relation between the types of government and the types of human character?
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5. What are the three kinds of pleasure that Socrates distinguishes between? Why does he regard two of
these kinds of pleasure as morally defective? What is the implied connection between the three kinds of
pleasure and three kinds or levels of knowledge?
6. Why according to Socrates is the life of the just person the best and the most truly pleasant? What is
defective and undesirable about the lives of unjust people? How plausible is Socrates account?