Socrates, Sophistry, and Aristophanes

Our discussion of Cartesian rationalism stoked some interest in reading some other models of philosophical reasoning and intellectual activity. For that we read two books.

The first is a set of two very accessible Platonic dialogues:

Plato Protagoras and Meno

In which Socrates matches wits with the sophist, Protagoras of Abdera, (Protagoras) and another in which Socrates explores what means to be a good person (Meno).

We will also read a bit of literature in:

Aristophanes The Clouds

In which the intellectual fashions of the time (sophistry, notably) are lampooned.