“It is true, indeed, that the account he gives there of the participant is different from what he says in his so-called unwritten teaching.”

- Aristotle, Physics 209b

This secret teaching conforms to something said by Plato in his Seventh Letter:

“Every serious man in dealing with really serious subjects carefully avoids writing” (344c).

So what is this secret “unwritten doctrine” of Plato? I can’t write it down. Come to class and find out…

Defining Justice
I.1. 327a—328b. Down to the Piraeus
I.2—I.5. 328b—331d. Cephalus. Justice of the Good Ol’ Boy
I.6—1.9. 331e—336a. Polemarchus. Justice of the Heir
I.10—1.24. 336b—354c. Thrasymachus. Justice of the Sophist

The Ring of Gyges
II.1—II.10. 357a—369b. Is Justice Better than Injustice?

Genesis and Order of the Polis
II.11—II.16. 369b—376e. Origin of the Polis
II.1—III.18. 376e—412b. Education of the Guardians
III.19—IV.5. 412b—427c. Constitution of the Polis
IV.6—IV.I9. 427c—445e. Justice in the Polis

Embodiment of the Idea
V.1—V.16. 449a—471c. Somatic Unit of Polis and Hellenes
V.17—VI.14. 471c—502c. Philosopher Kings
VI.19—VII.5. 502c—521c. The Allegory of the Cave
VII.6—VII.18. 521c—541b. Education of the Philosophers

Defective Forms of Polity
VIII.1—VIII.5. 543a—550c. Timocracy
VIII.6—VIII.9. 550c—555b. Oligarchy
VIII.10—VIII.13. 555b—562a. Democracy
VIII.I4—IX-3. 562a—576b. Tyranny

Conclusion
IX.4—IX.13. 576b—592b Answer: Justice is Better than Injustice

Epilogue
X.1—X.8. 595a—608b. Rejection of Mimetic Art
X.9—X.11. 608c—612a. Immortality of the Soul
X.12. 612a—613e. Rewards of Justice in Life
X.13—X.16. 613e—631d. The Myth of Er and the Judgment of the Dead