Socratic definitions ..
QUESTION: In dialogues like the Euthyphro and Meno ( you have to read them), what are Socrates’ criteria for an acceptable definition and what is the rationale behind each criterion? Your answer should make reference to Plato’s texts. This is a much more challenging task, and it will be quite difficult to pass. In order to pass, an answer must: Mention all, or at least the most important, of Socrates’ criteria for an acceptable definition. State these criteria in a way that is clear, succinct, and unambiguous (this includes unclarity due to infelicitous English). Correctly describe—again, clearly and succinctly—the rationale behind each criterion. For each criterion, make appropriate reference to the text. That can mean illustrating the criterion with a quote (quotes are included in the word count) or simply referencing a relevant passage (referencing using the appropriate Stephanus page—the numbers and letters at the side of the dialogues). Not draw unreflectively from a source on the internet, especially without reference (almost everyone used unreferenced internet sources for the last task—I ignored it last time, but will be more stringent this time). For those who fail, I suspect that the most likely reason will be failing to meet 2—that will not be easy. You will find it helpful to look carefully at the essay advice on the syllabus.
