Socrates Café: A Fresh Taste of Philosophy

by Christopher Phillips

Book Overview

Christopher Phillips is a man on a mission: to revive the love of questions that Socrates inspired long ago in ancient Athens. "Like a Johnny Appleseed with a master's degree, Phillips has gallivanted... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 039332298X
• Release Date: April 2002
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.66 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.3" x 0.8" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

A Revolution in Philosophy

Mr. Phillips is a revolutionary mind in the field of philosopher. This book is not about "Philosophy for the Common man" instead, it deconstructs the condescending myth of the common man in favor of the realization that everyone is equaly uncommon.Some would like to think that Plato, or the other luminaries of philosophy are beyond the grasp of the "common" or "uneducated." This book is a glaring and necessary counterpoint. Philosophy, actualy, has less to do with being able to name dead authors, and more with being able to think spontaneously, creatively, and criticaly.Insofar as provoking a spark in the reader is the goal of philosophy, this book is a success. There are some with a vested interest in the contrary, though, to provocation. These are the ones who are already placed within the academic establishment of Philosophy. Today people go to school, become philosophy students, study philosophers, quote philosophers, adopt the opinions of their favorite philosophers, get philosophy degrees, and then begin teaching, creating new philosophy students.Although this is a clean and efficient self-sustaining system, it does nothing for philosophy itself, aside from produce more identical members of the establishment with their quotation heavy essays and cloned opinions. At what point does regurgitating another philosopher's opinion, and even verbiage cease being plagiarism and start being good scholarship? I would say never at all. Who does Aristotle quote? Who does Kant or Popper quote? Or Spinoza, or Pascal? Or Berkley? These people didn't pretend to defend their opinions with meaningless footnoting. They simply laid out their own logic and their own theories - and took responsibility for them. They have no one to blame if we find their thoughts lacking, and they also inherit the greatness worthy of their ideas. And better still, anyone can become this kind of philosopher.The true realization one can take away from this book is that philosophy is for everyone and that everyone is a philosopher. It is not exclusively the domain of ivory tower elietes to have logical and sound opinions on intangible questions. It is the birth right of every human beeing, everywhere around the world.

Read this in a CAFE and give this book to everyone you know

This book provides us with an easey forum to run through some of the life's most basic and yet not so often thought or talked about questions. What is home? Granted it touches on some philosophical subjects which certainly have been covered in more depth in 'proper' philosophy books, however this format allows the reader to think about the questions and have a private discourse by reading what others have said and thought. Its a very friendly book on philosophy, and thats what philosophy on the surface should be. I loved and and would recommend it to anyone who is interested in having an entertaining yet thought provoking time with some of the people at the Socrates Cafe.

Real People Doing Real Philosophy!

This book is the fascinating story of a young man imbued with the love of philosophy, who wants to bring philosophical thinking into the lives of more people. So, in his words, as a Johnny Appleseed of Philosophy, he begins going to book stores, coffee shops, elementary schools, senior centers, even prisons, to hold philosophical jam sessions. With a little advance notice, he can usually draw at least a small crowd. Sometimes he's surprised at the numbers of people who show up. He introduces himself, and asks what questions the folks in attendance would like to discuss philosophically. Suggestions are made, and soon a free wheeling, yet Socratically disciplined conversation begins, typically among people who don't know each other, and who are perhaps from very different backgrounds, occupations, and worldviews. With Chris playing the role of Socrates, and teaching by example how we can all play that role - the role of a seeker after wisdom who is willing to question everything in search of the truth - he ignites philosophy in a place where it may never before have happened. He teaches and he learns. And he moves on to the next opportunity for creating philosophical community.It's quite a story. This is a man on fire to help people think more deeply about their lives and experiences. And a man willing to go wherever he can to make this happen. Throughout the pages of the book, he comes across as an idealist who is willing to do what it takes to see his dream come true. And the book consists of stories from along the way. We get to sit in on discussions all over the place, in a prison, or in a school. We are allowed to listen in on people's ruminations, reflections, and efforts to articulate their deepest beliefs. We overhear polite disagreements and witness collaborative efforts to get at the truth. What is the examined life recommended by Socrates? How can we live it? What is the best sort of life to live? And how do we get our bearings day to day, whatever we happen to be doing?The conversations can veer from the practical to the theoretical, but always the voices of real people break through. I couldn't put it down until I had read the whole book, and it's rare for a new book to hold my attention like that when I really should be reading three others I've already started.Take a look at Socrates Cafe and you may find yourself drawn into its great conversations like I was. And somewhere up in Platonic Heaven, Socrates himself may smile.

Breathes new life into philosophy -- and into my life!

I was blessed to go to a reading-signing conducted by Chris Phillips, who also facilitated a live Socrates Cafe. I was astounded by how his dialogues in his books don't just mirror his live dialogues, but tie in all these wonderful threads with great thinkers across the disciplines from the past and present, while Phillips himself weighs in critically and creatively -- Socratically, I guess he'd say -- on so many timeless topics. He shows what a sham it is to create all these artificial divides between the disciplines, he shows how art and poetry and the hardest of the hard sciences are all intertwined, and how we can reveal hidden likeness between so many things by joining him in his exhilarating pursuit to question, question, and question some more in a decidedly Socratic way. My favorite vignette of all from his book is "What's Love Got to Do With It," where he recounts movingly the story of how he met his wife at a Socrates Cafe; in fact, she was the only one who came to that particular session -- they discussed the question, "What is love?" -- and they ended up marrying one another! It's so beautiful, and all the sections of the book are deeply moving, penetrating and insightful. Best of all, Phillips never talks down to his readers. Rather, he prods us to think through our own unique answers to life's great questions. What a gift he has given to us. Already, thanks to his book, I'm asking myself, and answering more fruitfully, "Who am I?" and "WHo can I become?"

Tantalizing philosophical thinking of the highest order.

The only people who won't like this book are academics who have made their discipline irrelevant and sophists who have made their discipline a laughingstock. They'll feel threatened by the new and invigorating and exhilarating life Phillips breathes into philosophy. Phillips shows in a way that I have not seen before in a modern philosophy book that philosophy isn't merely about asking certain questions -- What is truth? What is being? -- in the way questions are asked. So it is that via his mesmerizing version of the Socratic method of philosophical inquiry, Phillips explores in a profound and yet sweeping way in "Socrates Cafe" such questions as "Why is what?" "How can an intelligent, sensitive person get stuck in a lousy job?", "What is home?" and "What is silence?" He has recaptured the tradition of unendlingly novel and illuminating philosophical exploration that sadly has gone by the wayside for the most part since Socrates' lifetime. This book is for everyone who wants to push their thinking, for everyone who wants to better answer such questions as "Who am I?" and "Who can I become?" Thank you Christopher Phillips for bringing philosophy back to the people and for having the courage of your convictions in presenting such a compelling alternative to the narrow, unimaginative thinking that passes for philosophy today in books by academics and sophists.