To reconcile the ancient dispute between poetry and philosophy is an ambitious charge. Socrates brings up signs of "this old opposition" in book 10 of Plato's Republic, so even for Plato the dispute was seemingly long-standing. Throughout their turbulent histories, theater and philosophy have been variously entangled with each other, forming strategic alliances, enmities, and enduring bonds. This course will examine the dynamics underlying this entanglement by asking how philosophy uses the resources of theater (such as the dialogue form) and how the theatre can become a venue to stage ideas. We will examine how theater and philosophy converge through a cast of philosophical characters who force us to consider not only the drama of ideas, but the performance of ideas as well. Questions to be considered include: For the theatre, how are we able to perform ideas? For philosophy, what is the impact of material bodies on stage trying to enact philosophical concepts? 4 cr. Tuition: $TBD/credit