Dr. Andrew Wood Office: HGH 210; phone: (408) 924-5378 Email: wooda@email.sjsu.edu Web: http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/wooda

"Unless the philosophers rule as kings or those now called kings and chiefs genuinely and adequately philosophize, and political power and philosophy coincide in the same place . . . there is no rest from ills for the cities . . . nor I think for human kind, nor will the regime we have now described in speech ever come forth from nature, insofar as possible, and see the light of the sun."

- Socrates in Plato's Republic

We continue our encounter with classical rhetoric, focusing on Plato's Republic. Plato's response to the collapse of civic life in his era introduces us to the dialectical tension between utopia and dystopia. This tension emerges when the Republic architecturally and rhetorically separates "others" (including most women) from the public sphere.

Reading: Plato (Republic)

Notes: Summary of The Republic Book Five

Viewing: Star Trek - "The Cloud Minders"

Review Key Terms

Off-campus webpages

Aristophanes, The Clouds - maintained by the Internet Classics Archive

Aristotle, Combined Works

Aristotle, The Politics

Cicero, Combined Works

Isocrates, Combined Works

J.J. O'Donnell, Augustine of Hippo

Star Trek - episode 74, The Cloud Minders - see image of the Platonic city in the clouds.

Note: These pages exist outside of San Jose State University servers and their content is not endorsed by the page maintainer or any other university entity. These pages have been selected because they may provide some guidance or insight into the issues discussed in class. Because one can never step into the same electronic river twice, the pages may or may not be available when you request them. If you have any questions or suggestions, please email Dr. Andrew Wood.