GPHI
6164

Aristophanes & Plato's Socrates

New School for Social Research: Philosophy

Liberal Arts
Graduate Course
Degree Students (with Restrictions)
Aristophanes& Plato's Socrates
Spring 2025
Taught By: Gwen Grewal
Section: A

CRN: 15598

Credits: 3

This course will focus on the rivalrous relations between comedy and philosophy through a close reading of a handful of Aristophanes’ plays, particularly those that take aim at Socrates (directly or indirectly), as well as those that offer pointed political critiques later reprised by Plato; e.g., the Clouds, Birds, Frogs, Wasps, Knights and Thesmophoriazusae. We will consider comedy’s role in Athens as both a provocateur and an accuser of philosophy and political life; and ask if certain dialogues in the Platonic corpus might be better understood as “comedies.” Are philosophy’s tragic comic looks the origin of its apparently longstanding dispute with more serious "poets"? Does philosophy's proximity to comedy disallow it a legitimate political debut? Knowledge of Greek is not required for this course but it would be an asset.

College: New School for Social Research (GF)

Department: Philosophy (PHI)

Campus: New York City (GV)

Course Format: Seminar (R)

Modality: In-Person

Max Enrollment: 23

Repeat Limit: N/A

Add/Drop Deadline: February 3, 2025 (Monday)

Online Withdrawal Deadline: April 15, 2025 (Tuesday)

Seats Available: No

Status: Closed*

* Status information is updated every few minutes. The status of this course may have changed since the last update. Open seats may have restrictions that will prevent some students from registering. Updated: 6:38am EST 12/13/2024

Meeting Info:
Days: Monday
Times: 8:00pm - 9:50pm
Building: 6 East 16th Street
Room: 601
Date Range: 1/20/2025 - 5/14/2025