Donald Robertson

And he said, look, this is just something passing in front of the sun as if I put my cloak in front of your eyes, but it's further away and much bigger. And he convinced, by giving this down-to-earth naturalistic explanation, he managed to convince his troops to set sail. And so it changed the outcome of battles. Basically, that's how dramatic it was.

But at the same time, it also upset a lot of people. And so Anaxagoras was also placed on trial for impiety long before Socrates. So there was Anaxagoras, and Socrates thought, this philosophy, though it doesn't teach wisdom, He said Anaxagoras didn't really understand anything about the nature of justice and injustice. So when he was placed on trial, supposedly he was a broken man as a result.

But at the same time, it also upset a lot of people. And so Anaxagoras was also placed on trial for impiety long before Socrates. So there was Anaxagoras, and Socrates thought, this philosophy, though it doesn't teach wisdom, He said Anaxagoras didn't really understand anything about the nature of justice and injustice. So when he was placed on trial, supposedly he was a broken man as a result.

But at the same time, it also upset a lot of people. And so Anaxagoras was also placed on trial for impiety long before Socrates. So there was Anaxagoras, and Socrates thought, this philosophy, though it doesn't teach wisdom, He said Anaxagoras didn't really understand anything about the nature of justice and injustice. So when he was placed on trial, supposedly he was a broken man as a result.

And we can contrast how Anaxagoras dealt badly with being exiled and then subsequently sentenced to death.

And we can contrast how Anaxagoras dealt badly with being exiled and then subsequently sentenced to death.

And we can contrast how Anaxagoras dealt badly with being exiled and then subsequently sentenced to death.

for impiety and how socrates famously exhibited courage uh in court and stood by his principles because he'd prepared himself to understand justice and injustice from a much more profound philosophical perspective um so there's annex agris and many other natural philosophers that socrates had studied and then a bit later we get these guys called the sophists

for impiety and how socrates famously exhibited courage uh in court and stood by his principles because he'd prepared himself to understand justice and injustice from a much more profound philosophical perspective um so there's annex agris and many other natural philosophers that socrates had studied and then a bit later we get these guys called the sophists

for impiety and how socrates famously exhibited courage uh in court and stood by his principles because he'd prepared himself to understand justice and injustice from a much more profound philosophical perspective um so there's annex agris and many other natural philosophers that socrates had studied and then a bit later we get these guys called the sophists

And their name implies that they claim to be wise. They claim to have expertise. And the Sophists taught young men oratory and rhetoric. They were kind of like self-improvement gurus in a sense, but they also taught people how to become successful politicians and confident public speakers. And they... where the first one was Protagoras, who Socrates knew personally and questioned.

And their name implies that they claim to be wise. They claim to have expertise. And the Sophists taught young men oratory and rhetoric. They were kind of like self-improvement gurus in a sense, but they also taught people how to become successful politicians and confident public speakers. And they... where the first one was Protagoras, who Socrates knew personally and questioned.

And their name implies that they claim to be wise. They claim to have expertise. And the Sophists taught young men oratory and rhetoric. They were kind of like self-improvement gurus in a sense, but they also taught people how to become successful politicians and confident public speakers. And they... where the first one was Protagoras, who Socrates knew personally and questioned.

And this seems to have been a key moment in his career. But Socrates basically thought the Sophists were far too concerned with just winning arguments and they'd sacrifice the truth. So they would teach you how to win a debate in the assembly.

And this seems to have been a key moment in his career. But Socrates basically thought the Sophists were far too concerned with just winning arguments and they'd sacrifice the truth. So they would teach you how to win a debate in the assembly.

And this seems to have been a key moment in his career. But Socrates basically thought the Sophists were far too concerned with just winning arguments and they'd sacrifice the truth. So they would teach you how to win a debate in the assembly.

But Socrates' concern, to put it very simply, was he'd say, how much time have you guys spent trying to figure out what's in the best interest of society or what's just and what's unjust? Like zero time. But you spend all of your time trying to figure out how you can convince other people. What's just are in their interests before the assembly.

But Socrates' concern, to put it very simply, was he'd say, how much time have you guys spent trying to figure out what's in the best interest of society or what's just and what's unjust? Like zero time. But you spend all of your time trying to figure out how you can convince other people. What's just are in their interests before the assembly.

But Socrates' concern, to put it very simply, was he'd say, how much time have you guys spent trying to figure out what's in the best interest of society or what's just and what's unjust? Like zero time. But you spend all of your time trying to figure out how you can convince other people. What's just are in their interests before the assembly.

Now, this is a very simple argument, but weirdly, eerily, it kind of applies today. Like, you know, so people get into politics because they want to influence society, you know, but how many politicians seem to have invested that much time and effort in trying to figure out what's genuinely important? in the interests of individuals or society.