The Trial and Death of Socrates

Is the unexamined life not worth living? Was Socrates a menace to society? Debate these questions and more in an interdisciplinary course on the famous philosopher.

Teacher: Daniel Hagen

Socrates was put to death in 399 BCE for allegedly corrupting the youth of Athens. Some years later, his student Plato wrote the Apology of Socrates—an account of the defense speech Socrates gave at his trial. The Apology is not only a literary masterpiece, it raises many provocative philosophical questions: is the unexamined life not worth living? Ought we fear our own deaths? Is it possible for a better person to be harmed by a worse one? Can we become morally improved through discovering our own ignorance? In this course, we will learn the historical background and acquire the philosophical tools necessary for acquiring a deep understanding of this classic text and for engaging with the questions it raises.

In addition to daily readings (most of which will be primary sources), there will be weekly writing assignments or problem sets, culminating in a final paper addressing one of the questions raised in the course. Most sessions will offer a mixture of discussion and lecture, but others will incorporate small group work, mock debates, dramatic readings, and more.

Tentative Syllabus

For the application...

Prerequisites

None

Relevant experience

Please list the most advanced language arts and social studies courses you have taken and indicate whether they were Honors, AP, IB, or similar. Please also indicate whether you have participated in debate, model United Nations, or something similar. (Feel free to also include any other extracurricular activities that would be particularly relevant to your being prepared for an interdisciplinary, discussion-based course.)

Application Question (Core-specific free response)

In his defense speech, Socrates claims that the unexamined life is not worth living. In no more than three paragraphs, explain what you think he might have meant by this, state whether you agree or not, and then offer a brief argument in support of your position.