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Some Recommendations on How to Write an Excellent Plato Essay
In order to write a good Plato essay you should certainly be well aware of the views, held by this great ancient philosopher. First and foremost, you should read his Apology and The Republic, in which he expresses his opinion about the state, art, politics, freedom and dependence, law and ethics. In a Plato essay, you should mention that Plato was heavily influenced by his teacher Socrates, who is the key driver of the author’s arguments.
It has to be admitted that a good Plato essay cannot be written without profound knowledge of historical and cultural background. The thing is that the teachings of Socrates and Plato constituted a significant breakthrough to ancient philosophy. They departed from the tradition of sophism and false logic.
In your Plato essay you should pay attention to the following points:
- Rhetoric devices, used by Plato to prove his standpoint,
- Extensive use of dialogues in his works,
- Use of allegories.
Plato essay can be comparative in its nature, for example, you can juxtapose his views on art with the ideas of his tutor Aristotle. You may find it particularly interesting to explain why he wanted to forbid poetry, music and theatre in his ideal city. This is one of possible topics in a Plato essay.
In Plato essay you can also discuss the impact of his ideas on contemporary philosophical outlook. You should evaluate his contribution to the development of modern political and social sciences. The key benefit of Plato essays is that they enable to develop students’ interpretative, analytical, and critical skills. In this article I have tried to discuss the peculiarities of Plato essays, as well as those points to which students should pay close attention.
