Both Plato and Aristotle believed that music should be used in such ways to better oneself, whether it is to build character and promote virtuous behavior (Plato) or by imitating human action for pleasurable or practical ends (Aristotle).
Step One: Watch both of these videos: The Greatest Theater and Music and Creativity in Ancient Greece
Step Two: Do some more research online on Aristotle and Platos ideas about music as briefly discussed above.
Step Three: Find a song in which the lyrics portray either or both philosophers’ ideas Step Four: Write a five-paragraph essay on the song you chose.
- In the first paragraph:
Provide the musician’s name, title of song, and genre. Provide the URL to a video or website containing the song with its lyrics. - In the second paragraph:
Explain how your song leans more toward a Platonian (Plato) or an Aristotelian (Aristotle) type of song. - In the third through the fifth paragraphs:
Quote specific lyrics from the song to explain how the song inspires one to transform one’s character and behavior to become a better person. You must use part of the lyrics–a minimum of three–to show how the song influences one to become a better person. Each quote must be followed by a full paragraph of detailed explanation. Three quotes; three paragraphs.
