Current Issues
Plato
20 Points
Name____________
Date Completed____________
Instructions: Read the section on Plato from the article “Ethics” www.cartershistories.com under the
current issues tab. Next print the article, three hole punch the article as well as this handout and file it in
your portfolio under your political philosophies tab.
“The definition of ethics”
1. Define ethics:
2. What are the objects of study by philosophers under ethics?
3. List the questions that ethical theories deal with?
4. How is it that every person may be a philosopher of ethics?
5. What is meant that a philosopher tries to generalize?
6. What makes an ethical theory classical?
“Platonism”
7. What is Plato’s position regarding the good life?
8. According to Plato what is evil due to?
9. What is the problem with discovering what is right?
10. What is Plato’s answer to finding “the good”?
11. What education is needed for people to discover the good life?
12. According to Plato, how is it possible for an individual to live the “good life” if they are not
knowledgeable?
13. What are the two ways that people must be instructed in?
14. According to Plato, why does he advocate “the necessity of censorship” in the “ideal society”?
15. Who will be the rulers of the ideal society?
16. Define absolutism:
17. How is “goodness” like the truth that two plus two equals four?
18. Re-write the summary of Plato’s view.
19. What is the first criticism of Plato’s theory?
20. What was the second criticism of Plato’s theory?