Introduction to Philosophy

1. Introduction to Philosophy Paper

2. The Paper • Reading: “The Apology.” • Thesis: “The purpose of this paper is to summarize and critically evaluate Socrates’ Horse Trainer Analogy and Unintentional Argument.” • Issue: Do Socrates’ two arguments refute the corruption charges against him? • Label the 4 sections • Introduction • Summary • Argument • Conclusion

3. Writing the Introduction • 5 points • 125 words or less. • Content • Thesis • Summary Statement • Position Statement • Argument Statement • Minimal Background

4. Writing the Summary • 45 points • Objective: summarize the text • Clearly • Concisely • Accurately • In your own words.

5. Writing the Summary • Outline • Charges • A doer of evil who corrupts the youth • Does not believe in the gods of the state but has his own divinities • The Corrupter of the Youth • Socrates will prove Meletus is • A doer of evil • Pretending to be earnest • Is eager to bring men to trial • Questioning Meletus • Meletus claims to think a great deal about the youth • Socrates asks Meletus to tell the judges who improves the youth • Every Athenian, except the sole corrupter Socrates, improves the youth

6. Writing the Summary • Socrates’ Horse Trainer Analogy • One is able to do the horses good • The trainer does the horses good • Others injure the horses • This is true of horses and any animals • The youth would be happy with one corrupter and everyone else improving them • Meletus shows he has never thought about the young.

7. Writing the Summary • The Unintentional Argument • Meletus Agrees • It is better to live among good citizens than bad • The good do their neighbors good, the evil do evil • No one would rather be injured than benefited • No on likes to be injured • Meletus accused Socrates of intentionally corrupting the youth. • Meletus admitted the good do good and the evil do evil • Socrates knows that if he corrupts a man he has to live with, he is likely to be harmed • Socrates either does not corrupt or corrupts unintentionally. • Either way Meletus is lying • If his offense is unintentional, Meletus should have corrected him • Meletus has no care about the matter.

8. Writing the Argument • 45 Points • Position Statement • Does the HTA (Horse Trainer Analogy) succeed as an analogy? • Does the HTA refute the original charge? • Does the HTA refute the modified charge? • Does the UA succeed as an argument? • Does the UA refute the original charge? • Does the UA refute the modified charge?

9. Writing the Argument • Assessing the HTA • Form of an Argument from Analogy • Premise 1: X has properties P, Q, and R. • Premise 2: Y has properties P, Q, and R. • Premise 3: X has property Z as well. • Conclusion: Y has property Z. • Assessment • The number of properties X & Y have in common. • The relevance of the shared properties to Z. • Whether X & Y have relevant dissimilarities.

10. Writing the Argument • Does the HTA respond to the charge? • Original Charge: Socrates corrupts the youth. • Modified Charge: Socrates is the sole corrupter of the youth.

11. Writing the Argument • Assessing the UA • Assessing the premises • Key premise: “if he corrupts a man he has to live with, it is very likely he will be harmed by him.” • Assessing the premises using an argument from example. • Historical examples for/against • Assessing the premises using an argument from analogy • Dog analogy • Assessing the reasoning • Do the premises support the conclusion? • Overall Assessment (premises & reasoning)

12. Writing the Argument • Does the UA respond to the charge? • Original Charge: Socrates corrupts the youth. • Modified Charge: Socrates is an intentional corrupter of the youth.

13. Writing the Conclusion • 5 points • 125 words or less. • Content • Thesis • Summary Statement • Position Statement • Argument Statement • Final Relevant Remark