What if Socrates, the father of Western philosophy, were to appear in a school or a neighborhood near you? Better yet, what if you could engage him in conversation, or rather, a Socratic dialogue about questions that matter?
Philosophy professor Peter Kreeft’s book The Best Things In Life brings Socrates back to life, engaging those he meets in back-and-forth question-and-answer discussions on a host of topics. These include: the purpose of education, what it means to live a good life, career, technology, and artificial intelligence.
Moreover, Socrates helps a young woman see the emptiness of her pot addiction and the far better addiction of pursuing wisdom; the difference between good and bad music and what good music does for the soul; why the God-made institution of marriage matters for happiness; and more.
Recommend this book for middle and high school students; it’s an entertaining introduction to Socrates, philosophy, and important life questions. Also, the reader experiences argumentation and logic in pursuit of the truth.
The last part of the book mimics an Oxford tutorial, in which a student defends her position against the professor’s questions. In this case, the student of Socrates asserts that values are subjective, while Socrates defends their objectivity.
Leave a reply. Keep it clean.