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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What would happen if Socrates fled to a city that was well-governed?

2. To Socrates, what would illegally breaking out of prison constitute?

3. Why does Strepsiades throw Pheidippides a party?

4. What is Pheidippides' opinion about the old city songs?

5. How does Pheidippides justify his violent action toward Strepsiades?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why did Socrates offer such a meek defense and go to prison and his death so willingly?

2. Socrates claims that laws result in what benefits to society?

3. How does Socrates use the notion of a contract to reinforce his opinion that obeying the law is necessary?

4. What does Aristophanes accuse Socrates of in The Clouds?

5. What gives law authority, according to Socrates?

6. What is Socrates' response to Crito when Crito worries about Socrates' reputation?

7. What is the nature of Strepsiades' most pressing problem? What does he hope to learn from Socrates? What does Socrates in turn teach him?

8. What is Crito in relationship to Apology? What is the setting and premise of Crito?

9. To what degree did The Clouds shape public perception of Socrates?

10. How does Socrates' conception of the law and justice in Crito compare to his conception of law and justice in Apology?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Aristophanes approaches the topic of science versus religion in a different way than Plato. Discuss the nature of this difference, using specific examples from each text. To each author, what harm (if any) does science pose to a society? What is the role of religion in society? What are the dangers (if any) of religion in a society? Can the two peacefully coexist, or must they always be in conflict?

Essay Topic 2

1) Explain the Socratic method. How is the method structured? What is the aim of this method? What logic is it based from? Why is Socrates known for this method?

2) Examine the discussion of piety in Euthyphro. How is the Socratic method used in this instance?

3) Examine the discussion of injustice in Crito. How is the Socratic method used in this instance?

Essay Topic 3

The characterization of Socrates is quite different in Plato's dialogues versus Aristophanes' The Clouds. Explain the nature of this difference, using specific examples from each text. This could include personality as well as philosophical beliefs.

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