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A New Socrates

Started by Absurd Atheist, November 04, 2016, 12:54:59 AM

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Absurd Atheist

Been reading up on a lot of great Absurdist literature and I came across this quote.

"People think the world needs a republic, and they think it needs a new social order, and a new religion, but it never occurs to anyone that what the world really needs, confused as it is by much learning, is a new Socrates."
Søren Kierkegaard, The Sickness Unto Death (1849)

What do you guys think of this quote? Agree or disagree.

Do you think such a person is here, on the way or even possible, and how would we recognize such a person?
"To have faith is to lose your mind and to win God."
-The Sickness unto Death - 1849

Baruch

#1
Cut to the chase ... whoever it is ... when can we watch them drink the hemlock?  For the ignorant ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DloNGc09j_M

England, while it still exists, is the only place I can go on=line where I can encounter intelligence ;-)

I agree, ironically, with your quote.  The new Socrates was Nietzsche.  The new Plato was Marx.  I would argue that the new Aristotle was Russell.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

SGOS

I'm not sure answering every question with another question is the best way to teach.  It has it's place depending on context, but there are more effective ways of imparting knowledge most of the time.  It wouldn't hurt to have another Socrates.  There undoubtedly are some around right now, although I would think they would tend to be annoying.  They executed him, didn't they?

Baruch

Socrates (according to Plato) had a particular theory of education, which explains why he answered questions non-dogmatically.  If you wanted a dog-matic answer, you could always ask Diogenes (a guy who came later, I know).  Socrates tried to get people to figure out the truth for themselves, he saw himself as a midwife of wisdom (his mother was a midwife) ... not as an oracle of eternal truths.  And they did figure out the truth ... they didn't like Socrates ;-(
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Unbeliever

I think George Carlin would qualify, perhaps, as the new Socrates, but few paid enough attention while he was among us.
God Not Found
"There is a sucker born-again every minute." - C. Spellman

Baruch

Quote from: Unbeliever on November 04, 2016, 05:59:45 PM
I think George Carlin would qualify, perhaps, as the new Socrates, but few paid enough attention while he was among us.

Lenny Bruce was the new Diogenes.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Unbeliever

Now if we could just find a new Archimedes...
God Not Found
"There is a sucker born-again every minute." - C. Spellman

Absurd Atheist

I haven't heard of a few of the people mentioned as potential Socrates. In this modern day how do you think a Socrates-like person would even be able to question anything or communicate with the current sociopolitical climate?
"To have faith is to lose your mind and to win God."
-The Sickness unto Death - 1849

Baruch

Quote from: Unbeliever on November 04, 2016, 07:42:02 PM
Now if we could just find a new Archimedes...

Archimedes was a defense contractor who died in defense of his city state.  I can relate to that, real well.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Baruch

Quote from: Absurd Atheist on November 04, 2016, 09:02:18 PM
I haven't heard of a few of the people mentioned as potential Socrates. In this modern day how do you think a Socrates-like person would even be able to question anything or communicate with the current sociopolitical climate?

Interesting problem.  I think the level of noise is so high, it would be hard for anyone to hear him/her.  Questioning anything just takes skepticism.  Being annoying is what every socially involved web site tries to do.  And Google would deliberately try to steer you away from finding his URL (put him at the bottom of a search that returns a million hits).
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Sal1981

His name is Daniel Dennett.

Hydra009


Cavebear

Socrates was one of the Greek mystics who considered information "dangerous" to the masses.  And he was basically a crazy.  I do not consider him good for human thought.  I prefer Eratosthenes.
Atheist born, atheist bred.  And when I die, atheist dead!

Shiranu

There is such a man as you speak of. And his name? Well... and his name is...

"A little science distances you from God, but a lot of science brings you nearer to Him." - Louis Pasteur

Baruch

Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.