Plato

Assessment

Assessment of the first six weeks is by coursework only. (The second six weeks will be assessed by seen exam.)

Assignment

The coursework assignment is as follows:

Write a dialogue, following the model of Meno, with the topic: What is University education?

(Thanks to Lloyd Strickland for his ideas on dialogues, philosophy and assessment!)

The dialogue should be approximately 2,000 words long. You should give full references (including page references) where appropriate and you should include a list at the end (with full publication details) of all the texts you have used.

You don't need to have read anything about university education to write the dialogue - you just need to have read one of Plato's dialogues - the Meno is one you certainly should have read - and show you can conduct a Plato-type argument on a topic you are bound to have thought a bit about. (You could start eg with somebody saying that "University education is all about having a good time.")

Assignments should be placed in the box marked “Philosophy” in Harrington 131 by 4pm on 6th November 2006. In fairness to everybody, extensions can only be given in cases of illness or personal difficulties of an equivalent kind (eg bereavement).

Note that the University has a policy of deducting marks where assignments are handed in late where no extension has been granted. An “Extenuating Circumstances” form is available from the Office.

Plagiarism

Of course the assignment has to be your own work! You are encouraged to cite other people’s work and ideas: but the 'citing' is essential. To copy or paraphrase someone else’s statements or arguments without making it explicitly clear what you are doing —so that the reader is given the impression that this work is yours—is a form of theft called plagiarism (which can bring down some very heavy-duty penalties, as you know from induction week and the course handbook).

Original text prepared by Peter H-K; revised for 2006-7 by VP