Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by noahlt 2882 days ago
My favorite is to read Plato as a set of advertisements for the Academy. "Come to the Academy," they say, "and partake in conversations like this!"

(This is why Phaedrus ends with Socrates arguing that you cannot learn anything by reading, only through discussion with a teacher.)

3 comments

Funny viewpoint, but let’s not forget that Socrates was part of the oral tradition and skeptical of the worth of writing. It’s why we’re reading Plato’s account of Socrates’ teachings.
And enjoy a refreshing cup of hemlock!
In Plato, Socrates compares writings to an arrogant person who must always have their way