Sample responses for new exam-style questions

[angusjamesclark]

Hi Everyone.

Hope you are all travelling well.

...maybe this sort of sharing and feedback occurs in a FB group somewhere, but since I am the last person in the universe not on FB, I was hoping to start a thread here.

1) Please find attached two practice questions I have written based on the Q1/2 format of the new exam. Feedback welcome and also feel free to use them if you think they're any good.

2) I had a question today that I would like to put out there: If the part c) of the question is framed as something broad like: What is the role of friendship in a good life? Provide your own justified response to this question. Does the student need to acknowledge and build their response around the philosophers/ideas covered in part A and B? If so, does it have to be part A and B? 

3) If anyone is prepared to have a read and write back, how would you rate this student response to the practice Q1 attached:

a. With reference to the passage above, outline Callicles' argument about the relationship between pleasure and self-discipline in the good life.

Within this extract from Gorgias, Callicles conceives that the "only authentic" way to lead the good life is to do "nothing to hinder or restrain the expansion of one's desires", therefore positing that self-discipline is antithetical to the good life. Callicles' argues that we must satisfy "every passing whim", hence maximizing indulgence in pleasure is of utmost importance to his model of the good life. Callicles outlines that the majority of people are "weaklings", who due to their own "timidity", cannot endlessly pursue their own pleasures. Therefore, he deems that self-indulgence is labelled as "contemptible", and self-discipline is praised as morally right, by the majority as an attempt to "enslave those naturally better than them".

b. How might one other thinker studied in Unit 3 respond to Callicles' views on pleasure and self-discipline?

Socrates completely disagree with Callicles. Socrates conceives that self-indulgence is antithetical to the good life, through his leaky jar analogy. Pleasure is fleeting, and never truly satisfies us, enslaving us to an endless cycle of wanting more: akin to a man that perpetually works day after day to fill a leaky jar, which he deems is hardly desirable. Socrates concludes that this is a "terrifying" life, as it will never truly leave one with satisfaction. However, self-discipline is instead the epitome good life, as desire has no hold over them and have no needs. As disciplined people invest their time in things that will bring long-term satisfaction (such as getting a hard college degree), they can "rest easy", just as a man who is able to keep a full jar can.

c. Which of these two views on the relationship between pleasure and self-discipline do you find more compelling? Support your reasoning with an example.

I find Socrates' view far more compelling. In the real world, self-indulgence can lead one to be dependent on an endless supply of pleasure, leading to an insatiable desire for more, as illustrated by Socrates in his analogy, where a man is forced to perpetually work day in and day out to fill a leaky jar. For example, in the 21st century, many people find pleasure in playing video games. Callicles would argue that as they derive pleasure from playing video games, they should purchase as many video games as they can and play until their pleasure can "grow no larger". However, this would dispose them to forming an addiction to video games, which may lead to a myriad of consequences, such as credit card debt due to excessive purchases, and obesity due to the lack of physical activity. How can these harmful addictions possibly be associated with the good life? I agree with Socrates in that this would truly be a "terrifying" life. On the contrary, self-discipline, as Socrates advocates for, would lead to limiting playing video games in pursuit of long-term goals, such as completing a university degree. By the end of the completing the degree and disciplining themselves, these individuals can "rest easy", as desire has no hold over them, and they have long term satisfaction. However, this isn't to say that Socrates' position is faultless. From a biological perspective, humans innately have a desire for pleasure, and therefore, a completely leakless jar seems impossible. Whilst self-discipline can largely be achieved, it is often quite draining and damaging to do so endlessly to one's mental health, as a balance of small amounts of pleasure is needed to keep us motivated in the short term. Nevertheless, Socrates' argument is on the whole far more convincing than Callicles, as the over reliance of pleasure in defining the good life is extremely dangerous. 

Many thanks in advance for any input.