the wisdom of Socrates

[jts]

Socrates was perhaps unique among philosophers.

A philosopher comes along and says "This is the truth." Another philosopher comes along and says "No, this is the truth." A 3rd philosopher comes along and says "You guys are full of horse poop. This is the truth." A 4th philosopher comes along and etc.

Socrates says "I don't know."

Socrates was a very wise man. He knew he was ignorant, which was a 773H of a lot more than the other philosophers knew.

Meno was a teacher of virtue and he made many fine speeches about virtue. He heard that in the city of Athens was a very wise man named Socrates. And Meno had a very important question about virtue that he didn't know the answer to. The plan was Meno would go to Athens and learn the wisdom of Socrates and the people of his home town would eagerly await the return of Meno so they could learn the wisdom of Socrates. In those days they didn't have internet and telephones and cars and all that. They had horses and chariots and walking. So the journey might have taken some time.

Meno asked Socrates: "Where does virtue come from? Is it a gift from the gods. Can virtue be learned? Is it something we must be born with? Or what?"

Socrates said: "Holy smoke! You ask me a question like that. You must think I'm inspired. I'm so ignorant about virtue that I don't even know what virtue is."

Meno said: "Am I supposed to go back to my home town to the people eagerly waiting to learn the wisdom of Socrates and tell them that Socrates is so ignorant that he doesn't know what virtue is?"

Socrates said: "Damn right! And while you are at it, you can also tell them that so far as I know nobody else knows either."

Socrates went around exposing the ignorance of people who thought they knew something. If Socrates examined Ayn Rand, that might be some interesting conversation.

[Pathogen]

Socrates went around exposing the ignorance of people who thought they knew something. If Socrates examined Ayn Rand, that might be some interesting conversation.

Meh, I'm sure Rand could hold her own. Barring that she could always strangle him with her strong peasant hands.

[BaalChatzaf]

Socrates went around exposing the ignorance of people who thought they knew something. If Socrates examined Ayn Rand, that might be some interesting conversation.

Meh, I'm sure Rand could hold her own. Barring that she could always strangle him with her strong peasant hands.

Rand might have blown cigarette smoke in Socrates' face.

Ba'al Chatzaf

[caroljane]

Socrates would have been nothing without Xanthippe .

[BaalChatzaf]

Socrates went around exposing the ignorance of people who thought they knew something. If Socrates examined Ayn Rand, that might be some interesting conversation.

Meh, I'm sure Rand could hold her own. Barring that she could always strangle him with her strong peasant hands.

Rand was brought up in a Jewish middle class family in Russia.

ruveyn

[caroljane]

Socrates went around exposing the ignorance of people who thought they knew something. If Socrates examined Ayn Rand, that might be some interesting conversation.

Meh, I'm sure Rand could hold her own. Barring that she could always strangle him with her strong peasant hands.

Rand was brought up in a Jewish middle class family in Russia.

ruveyn

So no peasants tainted the ancestry? Snob!