What Would Socrates Say?: Philosophers Answer Your Questions about Love, Nothingness, and Everything Else

by Alexander George

What Would Socrates Say? helps the armchair philosopher solve age-old quandaries and contemporary ethical dilemmas. - If no one ever loves me during my lifetime-if I don't have a relationship-will I have not lived a good life? - Do the advances in the field of biotechnology threaten our moral values? - Are there any reasons to have a child that aren't selfish? - Is there no such thing as bad art? - What's the difference between a terrorist and a freedom...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0307351270
• ISBN13: 9780307351272
• Release Date: August 2007
• Publisher: Clarkson Potter Publishers
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.8" x 7.1"

Customer Reviews

The Little Book With a Big Mission

Certain questions in life set out to challenge our long held assumptions and beliefs. What we make of these questions constitutes the "examined life". Some embrace this intriguing experience, others find it unsettling. "What Would Socrates Say?" is a book not meant for the latter. It doesn't rehash timeworn precepts or offer spiritual comfort; in fact, it rejects pat answers out of hand. It doesn't insult the reader's intelligence either. Alexander George assembled a group of present-day philosophers who deconstruct a range of timeless questions. Their perspectives are condensed for the sake of economy, but each explanation is masterful. This books comes the closes to having a full philosophical discourse in miniature, a great and good thing. Its small(ish) appearance notwithstanding, this handy primer paves the way for anyone wishing to explore its topics more deeply. Those with a love of contemplation will take to it over and over again. Its very accessibility only lends to the book's charm; George assembled something here that's truly wonderful.

Great conversation starter!

Are you looking for a way to get family and friends away from the television or computer? Are you looking for a way to engage your family, firends, children at the dinner table - or get back to the dinner table? If your answer is yes to these questions, then this book is for you! Filled with questions relating to today's society but with suggested answers based on classic philosophy, you will enjoy many hours of stimulating thought and conversation that even a young person could be part of! I highly recommend this book!!!

I Cried Till I Laughed!

I have no idea what the title of my review means, but it sounds sufficiently philosophical to suit this book. But, seriously folks, if you're looking for a great night table book chock-full of espresso cup-size (to blend my coffee metaphors) bits of incisive philosophical wisdom, you need look no further than "What Would Socrates Say?". Highly recommended.

Wonderful...engaging, intelligent, and accessible

This book is a collection of some of the best questions and responses to appear on the website AskPhilosophers.org. The questions are wonderful: stimulating, fun, sometimes familiar and sometimes unexpected, ranging from age-old questions that humans have asked for centuries to questions that deal with the specific conditions of modern life. The responses are always thoughtful, mostly helpful, and often funny. It's great fun to browse through this book, but since most of the questions are really interesting (after all, they're about love, knowledge, God, the mind, war, traffic jams, sex toys, etc.--what better topics?), you might find yourself browsing for quite a long time. The writing is neither dumbed down nor overly academic. It is intelligent and clear, and at its best moments it provides a great deal of insight into these thorny questions. A perfect gift for anyone who loved that philosophy course he or she took in college, or has wondered about philosophical questions from time to time, or really anyone at all who would enjoy reading great questions and interesting, insightful answers. It's also a rare chance to hear prominent philosophers speaking in a candid voice, approaching central philosophical issues in a non-technical, very readable way. Highly recommended.