I’m reading Plato’s Republic – a millenial old writing from a recognized philosopher. Actually, the book is about Socrates – who wrote nothing but is famous around the world.
You may have heard of the Socratic method. Or not!
Let’s go back a few decades. Learning was all about imparting information – we generally called this rote learning. Get the principles and you have learned (some would call this an Aristotelian approach – another ancient philosopher).
But rebels arose in the educational system! They wanted to turn from expounding the abstracts to the exploration of truth based on discussion, using questioning and step by step agreement – the Socratic method.
Let me be clear. Socrates asked questions in order to steer people to right answers. Ideally he also was an explorer, asking questions of himself.
As I’m reading Plato, I have recognized one of the glaring faults of a Socratic method. If you are frustrated with politics, let me suggest this fault is one of the reasons you are cynical.
Donald Trump has Fake News. Somehow what he defines as having happened, the opposition redefines. Or take Justin Trudeau’s emphasis on “inclusion”. How can an inclusive summer job program exclude others?
A Christian apologist (not to be mistaken for one who apologizes, but rather one who provides reasons to believe something), Ravi Zacharias, has said that the lack of precise definitions of words is one of the greatest hindrances to civil discussion and persuasion. A society cannot function unless we speak the same language.
Back to Socrates.
Because Socrates uses language and discussion to learn and to seek truth, the lack of a common language is the great dismantler of his approach to learning and truth.
Our civil society seems to have soured. We are past the stage of active listening and learning together – our world has moved to a stage of active dismissal and disdain for each other. Dig deeper and you will see a lack of desire to agree on a common language. Without a common language, there is no way of defining truth, beauty, happiness, love, right or wrong.
Can there be peace in a world that can’t even agree on what the word peace means? Are we willing to sit down and have the hard talks – talks that take time, and patience, and persistence – in order to come to love for each other? Do we even know what is right and wrong anymore?
In the spirit of Socrates – What is truth?
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