In consultation with your small-section professor, you will choose a question arising from your reading and discussion of Plato’s Republic on which you will take a position, either for or against. You will then write a paper adhering to the following format.
Question: The effectiveness about Plato’s proposed class system in The Republic that Plato devises for his basic city.
Statement of the question and objection. You will (a) state the question you will be answering and (b) provide the best argument you can make position opposite to your own. The statement and objection must be one page in length.
Appeal to authority. You will summarize what authorities have argued for your position on the question. This will obviously require that you do some research. Be sure to cite each source correctly in the body of the paper and to include a bibliography. The appeal to authority must be one page in length.
Proof. You will argue for your position on the question. Your argument must offer rational proof. You should include no appeals to authority in this part of the paper, nor should you seek to answer the objections at this point. Focus on the argument(s) for your position on the question only. The proof must be two to three pages in length.
Clarity and economy of writing are essential! Write as much as you need to make your point(s) well, no more — but no less
