Admission requirements
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar.
For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office: Arsenaal
Description
The Theaetetus shows Plato at his best. In this dialogue, a playful Socrates famously presents himself as an intellectual midwife who himself knows nothing, but helps young Theaetetus and his teacher, the mathematician Theodorus to give birth to their ideas about one of the most fundamental questions in Greek thought: “what is knowledge?”. As part of their discussion, they examine the famous Man-Measure-doctrine of the sophist Protagoras, who for this occasion is resurrected from the dead. Ever since antiquity, this dialogue has been studied and commented upon, which has resulted in many, often very different, interpretations.
In this seminar we will read the Theaetetus along with some of the most important commentaries, both ancient and modern ones, and studies. In doing so, we’ll pay attention both to the philosophical and literary aspects of the dialogue and to the question of how these complement each other. In conclusion of this seminar, we will discuss the merits of the various approaches to the dialogue as a whole that have been put forward in recent publications about this dialogue.
Course objectives
Students who successfully complete the course will have a good understanding of:
Plato’s philosophy, and of his epistemology in particular;
the philosophical relevance of the literary features of Plato’s dialogues;
ancient and modern interpretations of Plato’s Theaetetus.
Students who successfully complete the course will be able to:research and analyse complex primary texts;
critically analyse and assess modern secondary literature;
independently learn about new areas of ancient philosophy;
present their findings in an oral and written forms of communication.
Timetable
The timetables are available through My Timetable.
Mode of instruction
- Seminar
Class attendance and participation is compulsory
Assessment method
Assessment
Oral presentation (25%)
Final paper (75%)
Weighing
The final mark for the course is established by (i) determination of the weighted average combined with (ii) the requirement that the student has attended and activily participated in class.
To pass the course, the weighted average of the partial grades must be 5.5 or higher.
Resit
The resit will consist of a revised final paper (75%). The grade for the presentation will remain in place.
Students who have obtained a satisfactory grade for the first examination cannot take the resit.
Inspection and feedback
Feedback on oral presentation by class and teacher; written feedback on final paper, with appointment on request.
Reading list
Myles Burnyeat, The Theaetetus of Plato. Translation by M.J. Levett, Hackett Publishing Company: Indianapolis / Cambridge 1990.
Classicists should also have access to a Greek text, e.g., the old OCT by Burnet or the new OCT by E.A.Duke, W.F.Hicken, W.S.M.Nicholl, D.B.Robinson, and J.C.G.Strachan.
Registration
Enrolment through MyStudyMap is mandatory.
General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website.
Contact
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar.
For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office: Arsenaal.
Remarks
Not applicable.