Damian Barneschi
Research Investigations – AE514
September 19, 2010
Tracking for Week 1 – Socrates Café
Phillips, C. (2001). Socrates Café. New York City: W.W. Norton & Co.: 1-35
First Steps:
I think the argument is that the author believes that by the loss of Socratic discourse has had long-term detrimental effects on society. By organizing and encouraging Socratic discourse sessions – which stress that questions are often more important than answers – Phillips believes that he can help his participants gain a better understanding of themselves and of the world around them.
Thesis – Verbatim: “For a long time I had the notion that the demise of a certain type of philosophy has been to the detriment of our society. It is a type of philosophy that Socrates and other philosophers practiced in Athens…A type of philosophy in which questions often are the answers” (7-8).
The question is: What is Socratic discourse and what makes it so effective in self-discovery and self-realization? What can be done to integrate Socratic discourse back into society?
Throughout history, philosophical discourse has typically been reserved solely for the intellectual elite. The author hopes to show us that his “Socrates Café” sessions will bring philosophical discourse back to the common man (just as Socrates had done).
Second Steps:
Section I: “Socrates Café,” 2 – 7. The author talks about organizing Socratic philosophy sessions in various settings as a way to provoke the minds’ of “everyday people.”
Section II: “Seeking Socrates,” 7 – 14. The aim of the Socratic method of questioning is for participants to gain a better understanding of themselves. During these sessions, the author encourages questions, saying that they are often more important than answers. He also states that he, as the organizer, hopes to learn as much from his participants as they do from him (as well as from each other and from themselves).
Section III: “We’re Socrates,” 15 – 16. Socrates was a Greek thinker and a teacher. Unlike most teachers however, he never held formal classes. Instead, he simply asked questions. Socrates was eventually put to death for allegedly corrupting young men’s minds and encouraging an up rise against the government.
Section IV: “Who is Socrates?” 16 – 18. Socrates was a man of integrity who constantly sought answers to questions which had not been asked before, attempted to investigate conventional assumptions and searched for insight as to what constitutes the good life.
Section V: “What is the Socratic Method?” 18 – 24. The Socratic method is a way to seek truths through oneself. It “calls for common sense and common speech.”
Section VI: “A Dialogue of One,” 24 – 35. The author describes a late-night phone conversation between himself and an attendee from his session that night. The woman asks him about a way to find the meaning of life. In true Socratic form, both the author and the woman use a series of questions to reach a state of stasis.
Third Steps: Useful phrases and sentences
- “Questions, questions, questions. They disturb. They provoke.” (2)
- “I facilitate Socrates Café so others can teach me.” (5)
- “(Socrates philosophy is) a type of philosophy in which questions often are the answers.” (8)
- “Socrates didn’t think he knew the answers…” (8)
- “The Socratic method of questioning aims to help people gain a better understanding of themselves…” (11)
- “By becoming a more adept questioner…, I’ll wager that you’ll be able to answer more expertly…that question of questions, “Who am I?”” (13)
- The more you know yourself. The more you can map out and set a meaningful path for your future.” (14)
- Socrates was imbued with a passion for intellectual honesty and moral integrity rare for his or any other age.” (16)
- Gregory Vlastos, a Socrates scholar, described Socrates’ method of inquiry as “among the greatest achievements of humanity.”” (19)
- The fulfillment that comes from Socratizing comes only at a price – it could well make us unhappier…” (21)
- Why question? Perhaps we don’t have a choice, according to John Dewey, who noted that Socrates said we are “questioning beings”…” (25)
- “I want to know if it’s possible to have a Socrates Café by myself.” The answer is, “Yes.” (29)
