Why Socrates is caught in an Infinite Time Loop
We owe a great deal of who we are, how we think, and how we engage in good, meaningful discussion to Socrates. We know the teachings of Socrates mainly through people who did write, such as Plato and Xenophon. It is hard to overstate the importance of Socrates in the current state of our world. Socrates, and the ensuing tradition of Western philosophy, can be summarized in two words: Question Everything.
Questioning everything is easier said than done. Our natural tendency is not to question everything, but rather to form tribes. In the tribe, there are rules and you do not question. You are busy trying to please each other. Life is wonderful when everyone agrees with you. Often, a few figures are elevated to the roles of tribal leaders. This sort of situation — the tribe — is one of the things that Socrates was fighting against. Politics reinforces tribal thinking, as do all formal social structures: industrial, government, and academic institutions for example.
I grew up in a family where we had debates at the dinner table every night. Even during the day, it didn’t stop. I am who I am partly because of this personal history. Debate doesn’t come naturally because one has to curb emotion, allow others to speak, and not try to dominate the conversation. It is also hard to listen — we love hearing ourselves talk. I am guilty of this in writing this piece, but writing is a means to having a formal documented conversation, so I hope that you will grant me a temporary license.
We live in a time where the need to insist upon better logical thinking, debate, and argumentation is at an all time high. Socrates: we need you badly. I could point to world events and political speeches, but I think this will serve to dilute my brief purpose, which is to restate the mantra of questioning everything, and to encourage all of you to engage in debate. Don’t wait. Do it now. Some people may stop liking you, but who cares. As long as you are civil and respectful, you have done your best.
Debating is an art. The Presidential debates are one place to look for best practices, but these debates have recently turned into carnival shows. Socrates would have labeled the politicians Sophists. And yet, we can identify some good debaters in today’s world. Obama, regardless of what you may think of him based on your political persuasion, is a very good speaker. He does not get angry or emotional. Instead he states his case and allows the other person to speak. So hats off to his general performance as a debater and as a discussant.
Growing up, I loved listening to William F. Buckley and his organized debates. Here are two excellent ones:
DEBATE 1: James Baldwin v. William F. Buckley (1965)
DEBATE 2: Noam Chomsky v. William F. Buckley (1969) [Part 1]
If you have time, listen to these over and over as you would a favorite song. As you hear debates or read them in writing, avoid making judgements. Just listen to the arguments and maybe sketch them out on paper if that helps. Ideas and arguments rule. The people are organic vehicles for the living arguments. You may really like Persons X or Y in a debate, but steer clear of the big evils: tribalism and ego. What you like is not really important. Do you agree with the statements, are they backed by evidence, and do the statements add up to create a coherent whole — an ironclad argument?
Here is a good introduction to making an argument and engaging in critical thinking if you have a spare 22 minutes. It is a bit dry but that is a good thing. Emotion tends to cloud judgment. We are emotional creatures, but when we want to have serious conversation, let’s try to minimize emotion.
You may wonder how you can learn to be a debater without getting pissed-off, angry, and resorting to nonsensical diatribe? We’ve all done it because it comes naturally to us. Here is a brief guide:
- Listen. Avoid interrupting. This is the ego asserting itself.
- Empathize. You need to put yourself in the other person’s shoes.
- Focus on your breathing: slow, deliberate breaths.
- Slow the conversation.
- Pause and reflect frequently. Do not rush things — this isn’t a race.
- Focus on your body and its sensations. Use a touchstone or spinner if that helps. Put your hand on top of the table and pay attention to the sensation. Stop talking and pause.
- Avoid making logical fallacies: arguments employing ad hominem and appeal to authority represent classic mistakes.
