Below is an excerpt of a talk, “Getting Our Priorities Straight: Humanities and the Art of Living,” delivered May 1, 2022 before the Nature Coast Unitarian Universalists, in Citrus Springs, Florida.
I understand why it’s important to have philosophy and more practical things. But I think you partly undermined your own argument by bringing up Socrates and his past history in a military position.
The primary reason he was able to do the philosophy that he did was because he was more practical in his youth. He had a job with a functional purpose.
I actually wrote about this recently in the idea of pragmatism. High minded ideals and moral philosophy must be implemented in a system that is practical and functional.
I don't see them as mutually exclusive. I think it's very clear that we all need life experience and practical knowledge. My claim, simply, is that those are not sufficient, by themselves. And that seems to be Socrates' position.
I understand why it’s important to have philosophy and more practical things. But I think you partly undermined your own argument by bringing up Socrates and his past history in a military position.
The primary reason he was able to do the philosophy that he did was because he was more practical in his youth. He had a job with a functional purpose.
I actually wrote about this recently in the idea of pragmatism. High minded ideals and moral philosophy must be implemented in a system that is practical and functional.
I don't see them as mutually exclusive. I think it's very clear that we all need life experience and practical knowledge. My claim, simply, is that those are not sufficient, by themselves. And that seems to be Socrates' position.