Donald Robertson

But often when they were questioned, the things they were saying were full of contradictions and fell apart. And so Socrates thought, well, look, I come to the conclusion that paradoxically, I don't know much either, but neither do these guys. And I am wiser than them by a hair's breadth because at least I know that I'm not wise, whereas they falsely believe that they are wise, right?

And so the central thrust of his method becomes puncturing this kind of intellectual arrogance or conceit. Sometimes it's called double ignorance. So Socrates thought ignorance isn't a problem. Because I might be ignorant about medicine, but if I know I'm ignorant about medicine, I might be motivated to go and consult an expert, right?

And so the central thrust of his method becomes puncturing this kind of intellectual arrogance or conceit. Sometimes it's called double ignorance. So Socrates thought ignorance isn't a problem. Because I might be ignorant about medicine, but if I know I'm ignorant about medicine, I might be motivated to go and consult an expert, right?

And so the central thrust of his method becomes puncturing this kind of intellectual arrogance or conceit. Sometimes it's called double ignorance. So Socrates thought ignorance isn't a problem. Because I might be ignorant about medicine, but if I know I'm ignorant about medicine, I might be motivated to go and consult an expert, right?

I might not know how to fix the engine in my car, but if I go and see a mechanic, I can find somebody that maybe knows better than me. But if I believe that I'm an expert on engines or I believe I'm an expert on medicines and I'm not really, then I'm in trouble because I'll be guided by my ignorance to make lots of mistakes.

I might not know how to fix the engine in my car, but if I go and see a mechanic, I can find somebody that maybe knows better than me. But if I believe that I'm an expert on engines or I believe I'm an expert on medicines and I'm not really, then I'm in trouble because I'll be guided by my ignorance to make lots of mistakes.

I might not know how to fix the engine in my car, but if I go and see a mechanic, I can find somebody that maybe knows better than me. But if I believe that I'm an expert on engines or I believe I'm an expert on medicines and I'm not really, then I'm in trouble because I'll be guided by my ignorance to make lots of mistakes.

So Socrates thought this is one of our biggest problems in life, a bit like the Dunning-Kruger phenomenon, that we believe that we know things that we do not in fact know. So he found that his method was almost like a therapy for curing people of this intellectual conceit. So that's a story that Plato tells, but he also says that he did study philosophy prior to that.

So Socrates thought this is one of our biggest problems in life, a bit like the Dunning-Kruger phenomenon, that we believe that we know things that we do not in fact know. So he found that his method was almost like a therapy for curing people of this intellectual conceit. So that's a story that Plato tells, but he also says that he did study philosophy prior to that.

So Socrates thought this is one of our biggest problems in life, a bit like the Dunning-Kruger phenomenon, that we believe that we know things that we do not in fact know. So he found that his method was almost like a therapy for curing people of this intellectual conceit. So that's a story that Plato tells, but he also says that he did study philosophy prior to that.

Maybe for decades he'd been studying natural philosophy and learning a bit from other philosophers, but his trademark method developed at some point in his life as a result of this weird incident where the Oracle proclaims that no man is wiser than him.

Maybe for decades he'd been studying natural philosophy and learning a bit from other philosophers, but his trademark method developed at some point in his life as a result of this weird incident where the Oracle proclaims that no man is wiser than him.

Maybe for decades he'd been studying natural philosophy and learning a bit from other philosophers, but his trademark method developed at some point in his life as a result of this weird incident where the Oracle proclaims that no man is wiser than him.

That's really hard to say. I mean, I always feel like we almost need the sophists to have Socrates. You know, he's very much reacting to them. I mean, maybe he would have developed his method in response to the other, the natural philosophers, but it really seems to be the sophists that inspire him in a way because he's so concerned.

That's really hard to say. I mean, I always feel like we almost need the sophists to have Socrates. You know, he's very much reacting to them. I mean, maybe he would have developed his method in response to the other, the natural philosophers, but it really seems to be the sophists that inspire him in a way because he's so concerned.

That's really hard to say. I mean, I always feel like we almost need the sophists to have Socrates. You know, he's very much reacting to them. I mean, maybe he would have developed his method in response to the other, the natural philosophers, but it really seems to be the sophists that inspire him in a way because he's so concerned.

And one reason for that is that the sophists have a lot of influence over Athenian politics. And Socrates was friends with some powerful political figures and, And so although he wasn't really directly involved in politics himself, I think he was very concerned about Athens.

And one reason for that is that the sophists have a lot of influence over Athenian politics. And Socrates was friends with some powerful political figures and, And so although he wasn't really directly involved in politics himself, I think he was very concerned about Athens.

And one reason for that is that the sophists have a lot of influence over Athenian politics. And Socrates was friends with some powerful political figures and, And so although he wasn't really directly involved in politics himself, I think he was very concerned about Athens.

And what's missing from the Platonic dialogues and from Xenophon, although they refer to historical events and they refer to important figures, I think people still, when they read Plato, get the feeling that Socrates is just walking around in pleasant groves and sandals, kind of pontificating about things, and they don't visualize him properly.