I’d probably enjoy simply listening to the bright minds, then come up with my observation. Probably similar to enjoying the complexity & intricacies of a tapestry, then in awe, leave or not leave a comment.
Also dream of future ‘Tiranas’. I must admit I have been the (more zealous than aggressive) atheist in similar backpacking adventures. I’m now less certain that I know anything.
As an aside, you could challenge the idea that the Socratic method is deceptive in ‘feigning ignorance’. What you’re asking is what someone thinks, not what certain facts are. You can’t really already know someone’s belief/opinion, in their own words. I suspect that we’re so used to guessing what someone’s answer will be, then filtering their response to confirm our guess, that we lose the curiosity needed for the Socratic method.
I totally relate on those travel and late night conversations. The first time I remember loving a conversation was when I was 11 or 12 and flying back from a trip exploring the Rockies. I had some good stories to share—the highlight was I’d been on a 12 hour horse-ride across the Continental Divide which really had felt like months through many seasons. A boy was seated next to me and he was a whole two years older than me, which of course seemed like he was vastly older. We talked the entire flight about all kinds of things—a lot of science and nature in particular if I remember rightly. He was really bright and kind and curious. I think I loved it so much because it felt like such a meeting of minds. The very few boys I’d been around usually seemed to always remember that I was a girl in some way or other and I always looked forward to simply sharing and exchanging with others a lot as just human being and me. Also something about being in that liminal transportational state—on a plane or train that seems to create a special space for people to connect with their truest selves, and the only given commonality is that we’re on a journey and the rest is our adventure to discover…Otherwise the standout conversations for me were really in college—on super late nights with my astrophysicist boyfriend in college or over lingering over cooking together and drinking wine with my fellow students in Paris.
I think you’re right—Socratic intellectualism seems a bit overly aggressive, though I’ve much to learn. Maybe as with many things, one can distill the best of it—that and Epicurean and Stoic leanings. From the little I have to go on Epicurus’ ideas on friendship and his garden definitely sound more like my jam. I’ve found my way to some good gardens, and people purportedly seeking to build utopias but I look forward to growing and finding my way to more gardens with less dogma and more just genuine friendly intellectual curiosity and genuine love of nature, creation, and harmony. It seems to be a balance worth looking forward—a willingness to keep questioning without some dogma to adhere to or protect whether spiritual or otherwise, and a sense of camaraderie on the shared adventure of finding our truth(s) :)
Good interview—sound quality was different, but loud enough to hear in a noisy New York diner, so thanks. Socratic dialogue still feels fairly abstract to me—I guess I’ll have to look it up to see it in action on YT or something to see it in its purest form! I’m definitely interested in ways to gently open a conversation to a more philosophical bent.
Perhaps the most notable conversation was in a above average eatry in Santa Fe NM (City Different), circa 1998.
16 anonymous people rotating every 20 minutes across 4 tables. One carried their plate and beverage with them.
Topical caveats: one could only distinguish themselves whether they were visiting City Different on holiday or "wintering over" and not permitted to say what they did for a living.
Perhaps the most galvanizing conversations ever held (art, politics, culture and entertainment) and the most breatheless sweep of genteel dialogue ever. All acting like interested, concerned Citizens of The Republic. Huzzah!
"Santa Fe, the culture of Rome and the restaurants of San Francisco." ~ Conde Naste
Is there a God? I don’t know. I think the question is misleading. What do we mean by God? The very word conjures up certain images and attendant thoughts and beliefs that are culturally inspired. I don’t believe in a ‘God of Abraham’, no, definitely not. I think that idea has no basis or meaning. But a creative force? Yes, perhaps. But one that does not involve itself in the day to day lives of creatures on this planet.
Yes, I immediately thought the same thing. An angry atheist indeed. Sounds like a caricature . I mean, all atheists are angry aren’t they? Obviously not!
One of my best conversations was in a bar with this guy that enjoyed our conversation so much he bought my friend beers to keep our conversation going. I was a student and he a lived farmer or something to that effect? Dude had knowledge for days and wisdom and yet he didn't study a day in his life
I am fascinated by the ability to remember memorable verbal conversations, because I can't recall conversations very well at all. I have good recall for written dialogue, so emails and letters from friends stand out to me, or moments where someone has, for example, passed on a song to me and said more than a back-and-forth exchange ever could. My favourite companionable silences are reading next to my teenage children when they are also reading or drawing, delightfully punctuated with sharing extracts, funny observations, or loud burps, farts and giggling. My apologies for bringing the intellectual conversation down a notch with this observation, Jonny. I appear to have also forgotten what true silence is, too, but I am not complaining.
Socratic irony is an approach I have seen in formal teaching and pediatric psychology. It's fraught with being obvious to children from quite a young age, who may or may not choose to play along. It then backfires because it can demotivate students (particularly gifted/high intelligence/neurodiverse) who perceive something that seems disingenuous.
My philosophy is in line with my spiritual beliefs. I espouse Jesus's teachings as the best philosophy. For me, the meaning and value in life is learning more and more to truly love myself and others.
I would spend my time at Epicurus's dinner table. But then I like lentils and wine.
I’d probably enjoy simply listening to the bright minds, then come up with my observation. Probably similar to enjoying the complexity & intricacies of a tapestry, then in awe, leave or not leave a comment.
Also dream of future ‘Tiranas’. I must admit I have been the (more zealous than aggressive) atheist in similar backpacking adventures. I’m now less certain that I know anything.
As an aside, you could challenge the idea that the Socratic method is deceptive in ‘feigning ignorance’. What you’re asking is what someone thinks, not what certain facts are. You can’t really already know someone’s belief/opinion, in their own words. I suspect that we’re so used to guessing what someone’s answer will be, then filtering their response to confirm our guess, that we lose the curiosity needed for the Socratic method.
I totally relate on those travel and late night conversations. The first time I remember loving a conversation was when I was 11 or 12 and flying back from a trip exploring the Rockies. I had some good stories to share—the highlight was I’d been on a 12 hour horse-ride across the Continental Divide which really had felt like months through many seasons. A boy was seated next to me and he was a whole two years older than me, which of course seemed like he was vastly older. We talked the entire flight about all kinds of things—a lot of science and nature in particular if I remember rightly. He was really bright and kind and curious. I think I loved it so much because it felt like such a meeting of minds. The very few boys I’d been around usually seemed to always remember that I was a girl in some way or other and I always looked forward to simply sharing and exchanging with others a lot as just human being and me. Also something about being in that liminal transportational state—on a plane or train that seems to create a special space for people to connect with their truest selves, and the only given commonality is that we’re on a journey and the rest is our adventure to discover…Otherwise the standout conversations for me were really in college—on super late nights with my astrophysicist boyfriend in college or over lingering over cooking together and drinking wine with my fellow students in Paris.
I think you’re right—Socratic intellectualism seems a bit overly aggressive, though I’ve much to learn. Maybe as with many things, one can distill the best of it—that and Epicurean and Stoic leanings. From the little I have to go on Epicurus’ ideas on friendship and his garden definitely sound more like my jam. I’ve found my way to some good gardens, and people purportedly seeking to build utopias but I look forward to growing and finding my way to more gardens with less dogma and more just genuine friendly intellectual curiosity and genuine love of nature, creation, and harmony. It seems to be a balance worth looking forward—a willingness to keep questioning without some dogma to adhere to or protect whether spiritual or otherwise, and a sense of camaraderie on the shared adventure of finding our truth(s) :)
Good interview—sound quality was different, but loud enough to hear in a noisy New York diner, so thanks. Socratic dialogue still feels fairly abstract to me—I guess I’ll have to look it up to see it in action on YT or something to see it in its purest form! I’m definitely interested in ways to gently open a conversation to a more philosophical bent.
Perhaps the most notable conversation was in a above average eatry in Santa Fe NM (City Different), circa 1998.
16 anonymous people rotating every 20 minutes across 4 tables. One carried their plate and beverage with them.
Topical caveats: one could only distinguish themselves whether they were visiting City Different on holiday or "wintering over" and not permitted to say what they did for a living.
Perhaps the most galvanizing conversations ever held (art, politics, culture and entertainment) and the most breatheless sweep of genteel dialogue ever. All acting like interested, concerned Citizens of The Republic. Huzzah!
"Santa Fe, the culture of Rome and the restaurants of San Francisco." ~ Conde Naste
The greatest good is love...
Is there a God? I don’t know. I think the question is misleading. What do we mean by God? The very word conjures up certain images and attendant thoughts and beliefs that are culturally inspired. I don’t believe in a ‘God of Abraham’, no, definitely not. I think that idea has no basis or meaning. But a creative force? Yes, perhaps. But one that does not involve itself in the day to day lives of creatures on this planet.
Isn’t “metaphysical force” an oxymoron?
It’s just physics all the way down!
The headline "Catholic---, Canadian--, angry---"
seems to me a bit of a set up
"angry atheist" can be construed as biase
Yes, I immediately thought the same thing. An angry atheist indeed. Sounds like a caricature . I mean, all atheists are angry aren’t they? Obviously not!
One of my best conversations was in a bar with this guy that enjoyed our conversation so much he bought my friend beers to keep our conversation going. I was a student and he a lived farmer or something to that effect? Dude had knowledge for days and wisdom and yet he didn't study a day in his life
I am fascinated by the ability to remember memorable verbal conversations, because I can't recall conversations very well at all. I have good recall for written dialogue, so emails and letters from friends stand out to me, or moments where someone has, for example, passed on a song to me and said more than a back-and-forth exchange ever could. My favourite companionable silences are reading next to my teenage children when they are also reading or drawing, delightfully punctuated with sharing extracts, funny observations, or loud burps, farts and giggling. My apologies for bringing the intellectual conversation down a notch with this observation, Jonny. I appear to have also forgotten what true silence is, too, but I am not complaining.
Socratic irony is an approach I have seen in formal teaching and pediatric psychology. It's fraught with being obvious to children from quite a young age, who may or may not choose to play along. It then backfires because it can demotivate students (particularly gifted/high intelligence/neurodiverse) who perceive something that seems disingenuous.
Next week:
A story I like:
Within a conservative sect of Judaism, when reading the Torah, they do not speak the word “Yahweh”.
Just speaking the word would make God to small.
I really connect with that.
I would like to hear Paul speak
My philosophy is in line with my spiritual beliefs. I espouse Jesus's teachings as the best philosophy. For me, the meaning and value in life is learning more and more to truly love myself and others.
Probably better to say that you ‘espouse my interpretation of Jesus’ teachings’.