Dr Tom Kerns
North Seattle Community College

 

Study Questions for

Plato's Phaedrus

 

  1. What is the theme of Lysias' speech on love (230e - 234c)? What is it claiming, and what are the reasons for claiming that?

  2. In Socrates' first speech (237a - 241d) what are the reasons given for why a lover is not good for the beloved?

  3. In Socrates' second speech, ie the third speech in the dialog (244a-257b), Socrates is arguing that some kinds of "madness" are good. He lists four kinds of good madness (244d-245a & 249d-250a). What are those four kinds?

  4. What do you think is the meaning of the horses and chariot metaphor at 246a - 247c, and continuing at 253c -254e ff?

  5. How would you sum up the point of this final speech on love? What do think Socrates is arguing in this speech?