Learning Goal: I’m working on a philosophy discussion question and need the explanation and answer to help me learn.
ntroduction to this Week’s Discussion
This week, you’re continuing reading Plato (c.428-347 B.C.): An excerpt from the Meno and the Apology. Chronologically, the events in the Meno occur prior to the trial, and one of the benefits of reading it (along with the Euthyphro)is some illumination of the activities that got Socrates into trouble.More specifically, our focus is on the connection between Socrates’smethod and the nature of knowledge.
We think of an apology in terms of a mea culpa,an acknowledgement of having done something wrong, and an accompanyingexpression of regret. The Greek term, however, means somethingdifferent. Apologia means “defense.” The dialogue of the samename is almost a monologue of Socrates’s trial, during which his role isto defend himself against the charges that he is an atheist, a creatorof new divinities, and a corruptor of Athens’ youth.
Thisdiscussion, like all the others, is constituted by two parts.First, you’re going to respond to the prompt I provide. Once you dothat, you can see others’ responses. Unlike the first discussion forum,this one will involve replying to a classmate’s post. See below forfurther instructions on that front.
- Please answer this question: Does Socrates care about anyone? Use evidence from either the Meno excerpt or Apology supports your view. (Be sure not to quote the text, but instead, make reference to the important ideas, which you’ll describe.)
- Before you begin, read answer provided by ChatGPT. (It’s 238 words.) Notice the followingproblems, which are not the extent of the issues with the product:
- It’ssuperficial. Sure, ChatGPT addresses the question, but it offers merelydescriptive accounts, at best. Consider, for example, the secondparagraph. It’s vague. Worse yet, it makes claims but neither explains nor analyzes them.Consequently, there’s no argument. Remember, your job is to come upwith a well-reasoned position. Part of what constitutes a ‘well-reasonedclaim’ is specific references to the text and analysis.
- Given the limited word “real estate” we have, every word has to be carefully chosen for sharp conceptual focus, and every sentence has to teach your reader what you think.So, for example, why does ChatGPT bother, in the first paragraph, tosay anything about “Meno,” when there’s no subsequent discussion of thedialogue? Given what’s asserted, there should be some discussion of whatSocrates thinks counts as a good answer to the question. Indeed,virtue’s teachability, or lack thereof, is important to the question ofSocratic care!
- Now write your own post. (Youneedn’t address the ChatGPT sample, since it’s not relevant to what I’dlike you to do. I’d like you to provide your own analysis; ChatGPT’ssample is an object lesson in what NOT to do. (That said, the writing isclear and coherent, which is good, but it’s just fluff.)
- Your initial post should be between 200 and 300 wordsno shorter,
