The Uses and Misuses of Socrates

[Philosophy Now]

Dennis Sansom says we shouldn’t be too quick to pluck philosophers out of their own historical contexts in order to put them into ours.

https://philosophynow.org/issues/151/The_Uses_and_Misuses_of_Socrates

[noahgdennis]

This is not well argued. I would argue that it actually shows an intellectual laziness that is antithetical to the Socratic way, but that would be to spend too much time on this. I will give but one example. On page 23 of the magazine, the author says, "In Nussbaum's writings the left--whom she often identifies with 'postmodern literary theorists' (for example, in Cultivating Humanity, p. 37) - deny the objectivity of truth altogether, and so dismiss the search for truth." First, literally on the page that he quotes in Cultivating Humanity, Nussbaum contrasts Socratic goals with "challenges to truth and reason associated with postmodernist literary theory." And second, a couple pages later on page 40, Nussbaum admonishes that "We need not forgo the aspiration to truth and objectivity; we need only conceive of these goals in a nuanced way, taking account of the shaping role of our categories." So, the author is misrepresenting and, I think misunderstanding, and, indeed, making her argument the opposite of what it actually is!

Nussbaum is an actual classical scholar as well as an actual philosopher. She has forgotten more about Socrates than Dr. Sansom has ever known or will ever know, even if he spent every day of the rest of his life seeking it out. I will venture to guess that he will not though. I would encourage people to read Nussbaum. She's a very good scholar and philosopher who knows Socrates very well as presented in ancient Greek philosophical texts. You will be edified by reading her books. I cannot say the same for Dr. Sansom.

[MagsJ]

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Applicability.. being the great divider, in this instance.