COURSE DESCRIPTION
After the poets, the historians, and the great tragedians of Ancient Greece came the Fathers of Philosophy. This seminar will give students a window into the final years of Classical Greece. Students will see Socrates, the first philosopher, through the eyes of his student Plato as Socrates is "at work" on the streets of Athens, defending himself at his trial, and being visited by his friends in prison. Students will be introduced to some basic principles of logic, such as the difference between inductive and deductive reasoning, and we will engage in some Socratic discussion about the Big Questions in life. Students will have a chance to apply what they learned by writing their own Socratic dialogue on a topic of their choice.
Optional Enrichment
After the live seminars end, students will have the option to read Phaedo, which recounts conversations that Socrates had with his friends about the soul and the afterlife while he was awaiting execution. Students will also have access to two video lectures and a discussion board where they can engage in some Socratic dialogue amongst themselves, supervised by Ms. Finnigan.
COURSE SCHEDULE & LOGISTICS
Course Duration:
- LIVE SEMINARS: June 4 - 25, 2025
- Optional enrichment available and online discussion board open June 26 - July 9
Live Seminar Schedule:
- Wednesdays
- 9:00-10:15 a.m. Pacific, 12:00-1:15 p.m. Eastern
Teacher-Student Interaction:
- Four, 75-minute online, live, seminars
- One graded writing assignment
- Peer discussion board supervised by teacher in final two weeks
- Grade recommendation can be provided upon request based on 50% participation, 50% writing assignment
Class Size:
- 20 student maximum, 5 minimum
Questions? Email
Course Text
Though Plato's dialogues provide a lively introduction to philosophy, they read more like fiction. This is because Plato illustrates rather than explains what we now refer to as the Socratic method. In his dialogues, Plato depicts the drama of rational inquiry, the way it can unfold like a story with a beginning, a middle, and an end, taking surprising twists and turns along the way. The participants are unique characters, with their own histories, personalities, ideas, and yes -- egos! With a knack for literary techniques of characterization and humor, and a subtle compassion for human folly, Plato brings his beloved teacher and his fellow Athenians to life, and helps us to understand why the pursuit of truth will always be both a luminous and perilous endeavor.
READING SCHEDULE
Live Seminars
June 4: Introduction + Ion (31 pages)
June 11: Meno (48 pages)
June 18: The Apology (29 pages)
June 25: Crito (15 pages)
Optional Reading / Enrichment
Phaedo (75 pages)
Discussion board closes July 9
Where does creativity come from?
Can virtue be taught?
Should we listen to the opinion of the majority?
What is the relationship between man and state?
Should you fear death?
Why does Socrates think so highly of ants?!
Ms. Finnigan
Ellen Finnigan holds a B.A. in English from Boston College and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from the University of Montana. For ten years, she taught in high school English and Literature departments at St. John Bosco Academy and at Kolbe Academy Online before founding Teach to the Text. Socrates is a great inspiration to her these days (because he didn't teach in a school either)!
A Note About Religion from Ms. Finnigan
I am a Catholic and am sympathetic to families who choose to homeschool because they want to educate their children in environments that are respectful of their Christian values. However, this seminar is open believers and non-believers alike! Students should know that we will steer clear of controversial "culture war" topics that would offend Christian families. However, it is hard to imagine there is anything in the first four weeks that would provoke controversy. In the final two weeks, if students choose to read and discuss Phaedo, Socrates will be elucidating his ideas about the soul and the afterlife. Socrates comes to the conclusion, purely through the use of reason, that men have souls. People of faith are welcome to compare and contrast Socrates' ideas with their beliefs, and discuss their religion, and non-believers are free to weigh in as well! Students will be welcome to "play Socrates" and challenge each other's positions, as long as they do so respectfully, and in the Socratic style (using questions rather than assertions or "attacks"). The discussion board will be supervised by Ms. Finnigan and she will provide guidelines ahead of time as to how students are expected to conduct themselves and how to engage in rational inquiry with goodwill and in good faith.
