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Essay Instructions: Having Examined Plato's 4 cardinal virtues, which of the four do you believe is best of all, and why?

This Journal has to be done in critical thinking matter.

4 Cardinal Virtues:

Plato identifies 4 cardinal virtues as necessary for a good society and for a happy individual. Cardinal virtues are essential, basic virtues that provide optimal functioning for the human soul.

Temperance - self control and moderation. It's important for the worker class, but necessary for all 3 classes of people. The state, too, must control itself, not yielding either to the unjust demands of other states or to a lust for expansion or power. The state must not give in to an excess of liberty or repression. The heathy state resemble the healthy person. Both are moderate, self-disciplines, and guided by reason. The healthy soul is not controlled by appetites.

Courage - is the essence virtue of the warrior class. Courage is necessary to protect the community and to enforce the just laws of the guardians. In the individual, courage is a quality of will, and essential drive that provides a person with stamina and energy.

Wisdom - is the virtue associated with the guardians who are called the philosopher - kings. In the individual, wisdom is present when rational part of the soul is healthy and in control. Wisdom is found only in community ruled by those fit by nature and training to guide in: the philosopher - kings who have seen the Good.

Justice - is the result of the other 3 virtues, in much the same way that bodily heath is the result of the proper functioning of all organs and systems. Justice is excellence of function for the whole: Each essential element works well, and together all elements blend into balance system in the just state and in the just individual.

Essay Instructions: IN YOUR OWN WORDS, ANSWER:

What is wisdom? Based on your knowledge, what is your answer to this question?
Based on the reading of Plate's "Apology", how do you think Socrates would answer this question and how might his answer be different from yours?

Source:

Plato's "Apology" is available on:

http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/apology.html

Essay Instructions: "What is wisdom?" How has your view changed since the beginning of the course? Why? Of the views that you encountered, whose seems to be the most reasonable? Why? Whose seems to be the least reasonable? Why?

Essay Instructions: Sources for citing:

Plato, The Last Days of Socrates, trans. Hugh Tredennick and Harold Tarrant (London: Penguin, 2003). ISBN 0140449280 List Price: 11.95

Aldous Huxley, Brave New World (Harperperennial, 1998). ISBN 0060929871. List Price: 11.00

Henry David Thoreau, Walden and Other Writings (New York: Bantam, 1983). ISBN 055321246X. List Price: 4.95

Viktor E. Frankl, Man?s Search for Meaning: An Introduction to Logotherapy (New York: Touchstone, 1984). ISBN 0671244221. List Price: 11.00

Josef Pieper, Leisure: The Basis of Culture, trans. Gerald Malsbary (1999). ISBN 1-890318-35-3. List Price: 17.00

Essay Question:

Final paper. This paper is due by midnight on Wednesday of the final week of class. (This is due to the University's strict requirement for reporting of final grades.) The paper should be no longer than 1000 words. In it you should revisit your answer to the question of Week 1: ?What is wisdom?? How has your view changed since the beginning of the course? Why? Of the views that we studied in detail (Socrates, Thoreau, Huxley, Pieper, and Frankl), whose seems to be the most reasonable? Why? Whose seems to be the least reasonable? Why? Please submit your essay by e-mail directly to the professor using the classroom e-mail site, either by typing or "pasting" it to your e-mail message. Please do not "attach" it. You will receive feedback by e-mail.