Talk philosophy
Philosophy Talk!

The Greek philosopher Socrates said that “an unexamined life is not worth living”. He never wrote anything down (his student Plato did that for him), he did lay much of the ground work for the academic discipline of philosophy. He also believed that the only way to obtain truth was to ask questions and that philosophers should engage other people by questioning things rather than make statements. This project assignment has two parts. First you need to describe the Socratic idea of obtaining the truth. What did Socrates, Plato and Aristotle think the best way to find a truth – both universal and personal?

Second you need to use the Socratic way of engagement and engage in a discussion with a friend or relative (any human being actually). Your task is to engage in a conversation about “a life worth living” by raising questions about this topic. The discussion you have with a friend or loved one should be face to face, last at least 15 minutes, and you can only ASK questions of your discussion partner. Your follow up questions or statement should build on your conversation partners statements. Once you complete this exercise, please write a reflection essay about this experience and what conclusions you drew from the discourse or conversation. I don’t want a “word for word” transcript of your dialogue, but rather an understanding of the themes and ideas expressed. Finally, reflect on whether or not the Socratic way of discourse directs you toward the truth about a life worth living.

Your submission should be 1 to 2 pages. Please submit polished work and use an essay format for your final submission (intro, content, and conclusion).

Be sure to note the date of your interview and the full name of the person you interviewed and cite any other sources used to develop your project.
Rubric
Philosphy Talk (1)
Philosphy Talk (1)
Criteria Ratings Pts
Mechanics, Organization, and Length

3 pts
Content of the essay addresses the first part of the project regarding the Socratic dialogue.

10 pts
Sources – Student identified the sources used to create the essay

2 pts
The reflection and summary of the interview.

15 pts
Total Points: 30