The Use of Socrates: Earl Shorris and the Quest for Political Emancipation Through the Humanities
Titel:
The Use of Socrates: Earl Shorris and the Quest for Political Emancipation Through the Humanities
Auteur:
JOHNSTON, JAMES SCOTT SIMPSON, TIMOTHY L.
Verschenen in:
Educational studies
Paginering:
Jaargang 39 (2006) nr. 1 pagina's 26-41
Jaar:
2006-02-01
Inhoud:
In this article, we examine the invocation of Socrates as the exemplar for Earl Shorris' Clemente Course in the Humanities program. Our aim is to temper Shorris' claim that the Socratic method and the humanities are tools for political liberation. Though they may have this consequence, they are not exhausted by this consequence. Rather, this method and the humanities are an invitation to a quest of fundamental human questions that need no justification outside of themselves. In this essay, we undertake four related tasks: (a) We probe the arguments that Shorris makes for the inclusion of Socrates as the philosophical figurehead for the program. (b)We challenge Shorris' taking up of Socrates in this manner. We argue that, contrary to Shorris' belief that Socrates's method was open-ended, it had a point and a purpose, and that this was a search for the truth. (c) We explore the fate of the humanities as a free and open method, as suggested by Shorris. We argue that as a free and open method the humanities hold no elevated position beyond any other sets of readings, and that this has implications for the political life that Shorris wants to cultivate. (d) Finally, we challenge Shorris' very notion of philosophy, and by implication, the humanities. We argue that philosophy, as understood by Shorris, is nothing other than sophistry, the supposed enemy of Socrates/Plato. We conclude by suggesting a tentative definition of Socratic/Platonic philosophy, and thus a reconstructed notion of the humanities that may better serve Shorris' goal of promoting the political life.
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