Socrates, We Need You

By Carolyn J Sweers

We live in an opinion saturated age. People hurl opinions at each other with various claims to rightness. It is doubtful that such opinions could stand up to the rigorous questioning that Socrates did. Why is that a problem? Partial understandings are mistaken for the final word. There is a lack of humility stemming from a recognition that all h

• Language: English
• Publisher: TOPLINK PUBLISHING, LLC
• Release date: Jan 17, 2020
• ISBN: 9781734291964

Carolyn J Sweers

Carolyn Sweers grew up on an Iowa farm in the 1950's. It was there that she had her first experiences of the profound truths she tries to describe in this book. These experiences, more than any others, shaped her life and led her to a career as a philosophy student and teacher. This book and others that she has had published recently, have a shared objective: to evoke insight in the reader. She knows from experience the importance of finding what Kierkegaard called "the truth for me." And, she shares the Socratic conviction that people have within them this truth. It simply needs to be evoked.

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Socrates,

We Need You

Carolyn J Sweers

Copyright © 2020 by Carolyn J Sweers.

Paperback:    978-1-7342919-3-3

eBook:            978-1-7342919-6-4

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

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Printed in the United States of America

"The deluded,

imagining trivial things to be vital to life,

follow their vain fancies and never attain the highest knowledge.

But the wise,

knowing what is trivial and what is vital,

set their thoughts on the supreme goal

and attain the highest knowledge."

(Buddha’s words in the Dhammapada, verses 11-12)

Contents

PART 1: ENCOUNTERING SOCRATES

THE EXAMINED LIFE

THE IMPORTANCE OF THINKING FOR ONESELF

THE CHARGES AND SOCRATES’ DEFENSE

SPEAKING THE TRUTH

THE ORACLE OF DELPHI AND SOCRATES’ MISSION

SOCRATES’ INTERROGATION OF MELETUS

HOW QUESTIONS CAN BE TROUBLING

SOCRATIC WISDOM: THE IMPORTANCE OF UNKNOWING

ETHICAL ACTS AND OUTCOMES

SOCRATES AS GADFLY

THE DEATH SENTENCE AND SOCRATES’ RESPONSE

SOCRATES’ DEFENSE SUMMARIZED

PART 2: SOUL CARE:

SOCRATES AS GOAD AND GUIDE

THE IMPORTANCE OF QUESTIONS

THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF-EXAMINATION

THE IMPORTANCE OF UNKNOWING

UNKNOWING AND EMPTINESS

WHEN LIFE PLAYS SOCRATES

WHAT IS THE KNOWING THAT UNKNOWING CONTAINS?

THE MYSTIC SOCRATES

KNOWLEDGE AS RECOLLECTION

SOCRATES AND US

THE IMPORTANCE OF DIALOGUE

THE ABIDING SIGNIFICANCE OF SOCRATES

PART 3: WHY BE MORAL?

A Socratic Discussion Guide

SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING

Introduction

We live in an opinion saturated age.

An opinion is a claim to know.

It is difficult, perhaps impossible, for a human not to have opinions.

We have to have views on things

in order to make our way in the world.

Many, perhaps most, of our opinions,

are not the result of any sort of systematic reflective process.

We pick them up from family,

community,

contemporary culture.

Gender influences the opinions people have

as does geography, age, economic situation, race, religion, etc.

Opinions reflect and define our personality,

our sense of community and self

and yet are rarely examined.

In fact,

they tend to become deeply entrenched

with the world dividing into partisan camps

with extremes on both sides claiming to have the absolute and final truth

and they will kill,

if necessary,

to defend that claim.

For over half a century I have studied and taught philosophy.

For over a half a century I have apprenticed myself to Socrates.

It seems to me that philosophical thinking

of the sort Socrates advocated and demonstrated

is badly needed now,

when truth as a standard is under siege,

and where partisanship and character assassinations

have replaced respectful dialogue.

Socratic questioning is needed now

when people, even religious ones,

seem to spend little time

on soul care

with the result that

tolerance and humility and compassion

seem to be

in short supply.

Socrates asked important questions.

Every conversation that he had was a search for truth.

He was convinced,

that though human knowledge is always limited,

If we are honest

and courageous enough

to open ourselves to challenges

to our point of view,

we will,

both individually and collectively,

come closer

to the truths we need

for the care

of our individual and collective souls.

I believe,

based on both study and experience,

that that theory or concept is truest

which induces awe,

which leads us slowly or