Donald Robertson

And that's because the Athenians depended to a large extent on their hoplites, their heavy infantry, which Socrates was one, and they had to fight in the phalanx formation. And so each soldier's shield would protect him, but also the guy standing to his left.

And if you broke formation, not only would you place yourself at risk, but you place the soldiers that are fighting alongside you in greater danger as well by doing that. So they had to really drum it into these guys that they had to remain very rigidly in formation for this phalanx strategy to work. And Socrates says, okay, that's a good definition of courage, but it's too narrow, right?

And if you broke formation, not only would you place yourself at risk, but you place the soldiers that are fighting alongside you in greater danger as well by doing that. So they had to really drum it into these guys that they had to remain very rigidly in formation for this phalanx strategy to work. And Socrates says, okay, that's a good definition of courage, but it's too narrow, right?

And if you broke formation, not only would you place yourself at risk, but you place the soldiers that are fighting alongside you in greater danger as well by doing that. So they had to really drum it into these guys that they had to remain very rigidly in formation for this phalanx strategy to work. And Socrates says, okay, that's a good definition of courage, but it's too narrow, right?

Because what about during a tactical retreat? Like you break from the phalanx formation, but you could still exhibit courage. You're no longer standing your ground in the same way though. What if you fight in the cavalry and then you have to charge into the middle of the enemy rather than standing your ground? But the cavalry exhibit courage. You'd have to define it differently, though.

Because what about during a tactical retreat? Like you break from the phalanx formation, but you could still exhibit courage. You're no longer standing your ground in the same way though. What if you fight in the cavalry and then you have to charge into the middle of the enemy rather than standing your ground? But the cavalry exhibit courage. You'd have to define it differently, though.

Because what about during a tactical retreat? Like you break from the phalanx formation, but you could still exhibit courage. You're no longer standing your ground in the same way though. What if you fight in the cavalry and then you have to charge into the middle of the enemy rather than standing your ground? But the cavalry exhibit courage. You'd have to define it differently, though.

He says, what about the Spartans? They fight in phalanx formation, but they also sometimes charge into the enemy like cavalry do. But they're renowned for their courage. So you wouldn't say that they lack courage. You'd have to tweak your definition a little bit. So he starts this conversation going, usually by creative thinking.

He says, what about the Spartans? They fight in phalanx formation, but they also sometimes charge into the enemy like cavalry do. But they're renowned for their courage. So you wouldn't say that they lack courage. You'd have to tweak your definition a little bit. So he starts this conversation going, usually by creative thinking.

He says, what about the Spartans? They fight in phalanx formation, but they also sometimes charge into the enemy like cavalry do. But they're renowned for their courage. So you wouldn't say that they lack courage. You'd have to tweak your definition a little bit. So he starts this conversation going, usually by creative thinking.

and being able to come thinking outside the box and coming up with so he you know again like he's not following a formula here as much as using a skill like he's thinking right and he's coming up he's brainstorming examples what about this what about this what about this right it's like he's saying yeah but okay courage could be standing your ground but what about this what about this scenario what about in civilian life you'd have to define it differently

and being able to come thinking outside the box and coming up with so he you know again like he's not following a formula here as much as using a skill like he's thinking right and he's coming up he's brainstorming examples what about this what about this what about this right it's like he's saying yeah but okay courage could be standing your ground but what about this what about this scenario what about in civilian life you'd have to define it differently

and being able to come thinking outside the box and coming up with so he you know again like he's not following a formula here as much as using a skill like he's thinking right and he's coming up he's brainstorming examples what about this what about this what about this right it's like he's saying yeah but okay courage could be standing your ground but what about this what about this scenario what about in civilian life you'd have to define it differently

And so he constantly challenges the interlocutor, the person he's speaking about, to revise their definition and think about it at a deeper and deeper level. And he doesn't always arrive at a clear conclusion. Often he doesn't. His dialogues often end in aparia in Greek, which is the term that we use to mean a sort of confusion or bewilderment. So people walk away. And some people hated that.

And so he constantly challenges the interlocutor, the person he's speaking about, to revise their definition and think about it at a deeper and deeper level. And he doesn't always arrive at a clear conclusion. Often he doesn't. His dialogues often end in aparia in Greek, which is the term that we use to mean a sort of confusion or bewilderment. So people walk away. And some people hated that.

And so he constantly challenges the interlocutor, the person he's speaking about, to revise their definition and think about it at a deeper and deeper level. And he doesn't always arrive at a clear conclusion. Often he doesn't. His dialogues often end in aparia in Greek, which is the term that we use to mean a sort of confusion or bewilderment. So people walk away. And some people hated that.

But other people would walk away from it thinking, I kind of feel like I know less now than I did at the beginning of the conversation, but in a good way, because maybe I was too rigid in my thinking and I was assuming that I knew things that I didn't really understand. At least now I realize that there's more to

But other people would walk away from it thinking, I kind of feel like I know less now than I did at the beginning of the conversation, but in a good way, because maybe I was too rigid in my thinking and I was assuming that I knew things that I didn't really understand. At least now I realize that there's more to

But other people would walk away from it thinking, I kind of feel like I know less now than I did at the beginning of the conversation, but in a good way, because maybe I was too rigid in my thinking and I was assuming that I knew things that I didn't really understand. At least now I realize that there's more to

justice than helping your friends and harming your enemies or there's more to courage than just standing your ground and remaining the phalanx formation and maybe i've kind of spiraled closer and closer to the center of the meaning of these concepts so in the process of doing that he'd often point out contradictions in people's thinking um he said that what you're saying now is seems to clash with something that you said a few minutes ago