“Reason and Persuasion” hints at a basic, though odd-sounding question that will be with us throughout: what sorts of ways of convincing people, and being convinced by people – about life, about the universe, about anything – are good ways? Confused? Good. Let's get on with it.
We begin in 5th century BC Greece, where we are introduced to Socrates, 'the gadfly of Athens', through three dialogues by Plato. (What’s a dialogue? Sort of a cross between a play and a problem set; you’ll get the hang of it.)
Who were Plato and Socrates? Plato was a deep and broad thinker, not to mention sly and slippery. He was concerned with politics and ethics, reason and rhetoric, the nature of knowledge, mind, mathematics, science, religion and reality. It has been said – it might be true – that all of Western philosophy is just footnotes to Plato. Socrates was Plato’s teacher and is the main character in Plato's dialogues. He never wrote a word since he was far too buzy strolling around Athens, asking his fellow citizens so many awkward questions that they eventually got tired of not knowing the answers and killed him.
The Plato readings are available in the form of a required text, "Reason and Persuasion". The readings for the second half are still in the process and will be made available on RBR or on e-Reserve.
