So, for school I have been reading The Best Things in Life by Peter Kreeft.
For a basic overview of the book, the subtitle is:
A contemporary Socrates looks at Power, Pleasure, Truth & the Good Life.
Basically, Socrates in future times, meanders on over to a university where he meets Peter Pragma and Felicity Flake and philosophizes about life with them.
It’s interesting and slightly clever.
But I’m just saying…if Socrates ever came to me to “philosophize about life” I think I would punch him in the nose.
Everything anyone says, Socrates has a question for
No one is ever “right”, there’s always more questions and less answers.
And if I didn’t punch him it would be because I was too confused to do anything but just sit there trying to sort through the barrage of questions he just threw at me.
And reading this book makes me think about cross-examination during debate. The gist of cross-ex is to ask questions for clarity or that reveal a flaw in the opposing team’s case. If you can’t think of any particularly revealing questions, the trick is to ask a dumb question like : “Please tell me your plan.” (even though they just read their plan like a minute before) to use up time.
Socrates would rock at cross-ex. Because philosophizing is so like cross-ex. It’s examining your life or your beliefs and finding the flaws in them. The other thing is, these questions that keep popping out, actually are revealing. He could debate any point and win.
I think that we could all work on questioning life a little more.
Maybe not to the point, where the other person wants to pop you in the nose…but enough so that you know what you believe, what is important in life, what your calling is, whether you are fulfilling what God has planned for you, and whether or not you should eat a bowl of chocolate-covered almonds. That last answer is always yes… and it’s very fulfilling! 😉 Or at least…refilling.
See same shallow girl as always! 🙂
Just bogged down by Socratic thinking
Running on Full 