| Title: | Reading Plato |
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| Course Section Number: | FRT-101-05 |
| Department: | Freshman Tutorial |
| Description: | This tutorial section introduces foundational skills needed to excel in a liberal arts education by taking the books of classical authors in hand and beginning to read. The title of the course, Reading Plato, should be taken, first, quite literally: on the first day of class and proceeding throughout the first half of the semester, we will work through Plato's Symposium. Students will prepare assigned readings in advance of each class meeting, and in class we will read important passages aloud and discuss the text. Students will develop foundational skills in close and careful reading, interpretation, and analysis by cooperatively constructing a baseline understanding of the reading in class and exploring disagreements. Second, the title of the course highlights a recent controversy that arose when a state university system compelled a professor to remove selections from the Symposium from a course syllabus due to Plato's treatment of race and gender. Working through the Symposium will provide an occasion for reflecting on campus speech and academic freedom concerning controversial and sensitive issues. Third, the title of the course raises the question of what it means to read classical authors in the sense of inheriting, critically interrogating, and transforming their works in acts of renewing creativity. The course will conclude with discussion of some seminal creative appropriations of Plato's Symposium in art and literature. Jeffrey Gower teaches Philosophy and contributes to the program in Philosophy, Politics and Economics. His teaching and research interests include social and political philosophy, environmental philosophy, Continental philosophy, and Ancient Philosophy. He enjoys music, movies, and long walks in the woods, searching for the right spot. |
| Credits: | 1.00 |
| Start Date: | August 26, 2026 |
| End Date: | December 19, 2026 |
| Meeting Information: |
08/27/2026-12/17/2026 Lecture Tuesday, Thursday 09:45AM - 11:00AM, Detchon, Room 112
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| Faculty: | Gower, Jeff |
Course Status
| Section Name/Title | Status | Dept. | Capacity |
Enrolled/ Available/ Waitlist |
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