In this webinar, Marc Hays will lead a read aloud and discussion of Plato’s Lesser Hippias dialogue. Socrates’ primary interlocutor in the dialogue is the sophist Hippias, who thinks very highly of himself. Socrates confronts Hippias’ hubris by comparing the Homeric heroes Achilles and Odysseus. The dialogue develops from questions of Achilles’ bravery and Odysseus’ craftiness, which leads to the discussion of truth-telling and falsity and the characteristics of a person who is best at lying. This dialogue serves as a typical example of Socrates’ approach through literary discussion, vocational examples from everyday life, and relentless questioning.

In this seminar, you will:

• hear the Lesser Hippias dialogue read aloud by Marc and two students
• discuss the content of the Lesser Hippias via round table following the read aloud
• consider Socrates’ approach to a better understanding through dialectic
• be introduced the general shape of Plato’s dialogues