SOCRATES
James P. Butler, Ph.D. email: jim_butler@berea.edu Education: Area of Specialization:
Ancient Greek Philosophy, Ethical Theory
Teaching Experience:
Ph.D. (Philosophy)
University of Wisconsin-Madison,1996.
Thesis: True and False Pleasures in Plato
M.A. (Philosophy)
University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1992
B.A. (with honors)
University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1986. Majors: Philosophy and Economics.
Area of Concentration:
Applied Ethics, Metaphysics, Epistemology, Critical Thinking
Areas of Interest:
History of Modern Philosophy, Zen Philosophy, Bushido
Languages: Ancient
Greek, French, Introductory Latin
Associate Professor: Berea College, 2007- present
Assistant Professor: Berea College, 2001-2007
Classes taught:
Visiting Assistant Professor- Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, IL., 1999 -2001.
Instructor- Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX., 1997-1999.
Instructor- Edgewood College, Madison, WI.,
1996-1997.Teaching Assistant- University of Wisconsin-Madison,
1988 -1992.Awards:
National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Seminar: Soul and Substance in Aristotle and the Aristotelian Tradition, Boulder, CO, June 28-July 23, 2004.
March 26, 1993.Professional Service:
Referee for the journals Ancient Philosophy. and Apeiron
Member: 2012 American Philosophical Association Central Division Planning Committee
Local Planning Committee: Classical Association of the Middle West and South (CAMWS), 99th Annual Meeting, Sponsored by the University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY. April 3-5, 2003.
Coordinator: 23rd Annual Workshop in Ancient Philosophy, jointly sponsored by University of Texas and Texas Christian University, March 23-25, 2000.
Publications:
'Justice and the Fundamental Question of Plato's Republic ' Apeiron
Volume 35 no. 1 (March, 2002).'A Case for an Intellectual Hedonism in the Philebus' in a festschrift of Plato and Socrates: Desire, Identity, and Existence: A Conference in Celebration of Terry Penner's 65th Birthday (forthcoming from Academic Printing & Publishing)
'On Whether Pleasure's Esse is Percipi: Rethinking Republic 583d-585a', Ancient Philosophy 19, 2 (Oct. 1999)
.'The Arguments for the Most Pleasant Life in Republic IX: A Note Against the Common Interpretation', Apeiron vol. 32 no. 1 (Mar. 99)
'Questioning Irrational Desires in Plato's Gorgias', Southwest Philosophy Review vol. 14 #1 (1998).
Review of Perspectives on Greek Philosophy: S. V. Keeling Memorial Lectures in Ancient Philosophy 1992-2002, edited by R. W. Sharples, Philosophy in Review (Dec. 2004).
Review (with Jeffrey L. Richey) of Early China/Ancient Greece. Edited by Steven Shankman and Stephen W. Durrant. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 2002. (forthcoming in The Journal of Asian Studies)
Review of Malcolm Schofield's Saving the City: Philosopher-Kings and Other Classical Paradigms in Ancient Philosophy (Mar. 2001).
Review of Francisco J. Gonzalez's Dialectic and Dialogue: Plato's Practice of Philosophical Inquiry in Philosophy in Review (Oct. 1999).
Works Under Consideration or in Progress:
Manuscript for a book: Platonic Hedonism.
‘Filling the Philosopher with True Pleasure: Republic 585-7’.
'The Case Against Callicles: Why the Gorgias is thoroughly Socratic' (co-authored with Patrick Mooney, John Carroll University)
'Socratic Harm: Why Meletus and Anytus Cannot Harm Socrates'.
'Socrates Defending Himself: Never Return Harm for Harm-- Crito 49cff'.
'Socrates' Most Powerful Argument: Euthyphro 9e-11b.
Paper Presentations:
An Immoral Defense of Justice in Plato's Republic: Transylvania University Oct 25, 2003
'A (smaller) Case for Hedonism in the Philebus', APA Pacific Division Meeting, Seattle, WA, March 27-30, 2002.
'A Case for Hedonism in the Philebus', Plato and Socrates: Desire, Identity, and Existence: A Conference in Celebration of Terry Penner's 65th Birthday, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, Sept. 7-8, 2001.
'Justice and the Fundamental Challenge of Plato's Republic' APA Pacific Division Meeting, San Francisco, March 28- April 1, 2001.
'The Fundamental Question of Plato's Republic (and Its Answer)' -- University of Denver, Oct. 14, 1999.
'Socratic Harm: Why Meletus and Anytus Cannot Harm Socrates' -- Metro State College of Denver, Oct. 14, 1999.
'The Arguments for the Most Pleasant Life in Republic IX: The Final Nail in Thrasymachus' Coffin?' -- APA Pacific Division Meeting, Berkeley, March 31- April 3, 1999.
'Esse is Percipi and the Levels Analogy: Republic IX 583b-585a'-- APA Central Division Meeting, Chicago, May 6-9, 1998.
'Socrates Defending Himself: Never Return Harm for Harm-- Crito 49cff'--North Texas Philosophical Association, Arlington TX, April 25, 1998.
'Questioning Irrational Desires in Plato's Gorgias'-- Southwestern Philosophical Society Annual Meeting, Memphis, TN, Nov. 1, 1997.
'Irrational Desires in Plato's Gorgias?' -- Wisconsin Philosophical Association, April 12, 1997.
'Two Problems in Translating Republic IX', Pillinger Lecture Series, Classics Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison. April 2, 1997.
Panelist:
Invited symposium commentary on Tushar Irani, "Socrates and Gorgias on the Aims of Argument", American Philosophical Association Pacific Division Meeting, San Francisco, CA. March 27-30, 2013.
Invited commentary on Matt Evans, "The Blind Desires of Republic IV" International Plato Society Meeting, Ann Arbor, MI. Oct. 4-7, 2012.
Panelist for "Reason and the Form of the Good" XIVth International Symposium of the Olympic Center for Philosophy and Culture, July 26-31, 2003, Pyrgos, Elia, Greece.
Commentator on "Defending Socrates' Case Against Thrasymachus" APA Pacific Division Meeting, San Francisco, CA. Mar 26-30, 2003.
Commentator, Mountain-Plains Philosophy Conference, Fort Collins CO., Oct. 14-16, 1999.
Commentator, 22nd Annual Workshop in Ancient Philosophy, San Antonio, TX. Sponsored by The University of Texas and Trinity University, April 8-10, 1999.
Commentator, Central States Philosophical Association, Clive, IA, Oct. 15-16,1998.
Session Chair, The Third Annual Arizona Colloquium in Ancient Philosophy: Plato's Ethics and Politics, Tucson, AZ., Feb. 13-15, 1998.
"Engaged Philosophy and the Philosophy of Engagement: A Socratic Approach to Service Learning", at the 1997 Midwest Regional Preparing Future Faculty Conference: Integrated Scholarship: Bringing Together Research, Pedagogy and Service, March 15,1997.