Plato’s “Introduction to Philosophy”

Teaching Philosophy 23 (4):315-328 (2000)
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Abstract

This paper argues that Plato’s “what-is-T” questions offer a more instructive method for introducing students to philosophy than his use of the Allegory of the Cave. In supporting this claim, the paper presents a Socratic dialogue that illustrates how what-is-T questions along with an answer to said questions via a list (a list-of-T's) can be used as a starting point for introducing philosophy. However, this Socratic dialogue also reveals that this initial answer cannot succeed and so it motivates Plato’s preferred answer which involves defining T by giving its essential characteristics. In addition to providing a summary of this dialogue, the paper responds to the objection that introducing philosophy to students in this way is too challenging for beginning students.

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