What do you think?
Rate this book
Six Questions of Socrates: A Modern-Day Journey of Discovery through World Philosophy
How people around the world grapple with the great questions posed by Socrates. What is virtue? What is moderation? What is justice? What is courage? What is good? What is piety? Socrates thought that understanding the perspectives of others on these six great questions would help him become a more excellent human being. Following in Socrates's footsteps, Christopher Phillips―"Johnny Appleseed with a master's degree" ( Utne Reader )―investigates these same questions, beginning in the marketplace of modern-day Athens. He goes on to investigate the timely responses and outlooks of people from different cultures and backgrounds around the world: from Greece and Spain to Japan and Korea, Mexico City, and Chiapas, where the region's indigenous people struggle for fundamental human rights. Phillips also traveled throughout the United States, holding dialogues in diverse communities from New York City to the Navajo Nation. Introducing us to less familiar thinkers in non-Western traditions who were kindred spirits of Socrates, Phillips enlarges our perspectives on life's fundamental questions, creating an innovative world survey of philosophy.
334 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
44 people are currently reading
347 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Phillips
29 books80 followers"Christopher Phillips is the greatest living embodiment of the Socratic spirit in our catastrophic times. His global grassroots movement of Socrates Cafés and Democracy Cafés have transformed the lives of millions of people in every continent on the Earth. His brilliant and wise books have touched the minds and souls of so many of us. And his soulful style and genuine compassion have enriched the lives of we fortunate ones. When the historians write of the ugly and beautiful in our turbulent age, the Socratic words, works and deeds of my dearest brother Christopher Phillips should loom large." - so says none other than Dr. Cornel West, Dietrich Bonhoeffer Professor of Philosophy & Christian Practice, Union Theological Seminary; Author of of the classic 'Race Matters' and other works, public intellectual and civil rights activist.
Christopher Phillips has a passion for inquiry. A foremost specialist in the Socratic Method, sought after speaker, consultant and moderator, and noted author of works including the international bestsellers 'Socrates Cafe: A Fresh Taste of Philosophy,' 'Six Questions of Socrates: A Modern Day Journey of Discovery through World Philosophy', the critically acclaimed 'Constitution Cafe: Jefferson's Brew for a True Revolution', among others, including his newest work, 'Soul of Goodness' and a philosophical children's book series ('Day of Why,' 'The Philosophers' Club'), he reminds us that we ought to ask questions – “not about any chance question,” as Socrates put it in Plato’s Republic, “but about the way one should live.” He encourages us to turn on our childlike questioning lenses, and become our own best thinkers, askers, doers.
Dr. Phillips travels the world over holding dialogues with people of all walks of life. He believes that the process of dialogue and the space of human interaction are good for us as individuals and essential for us as a society. His goal is to inspire curiosity and wonder of a transformative sort, one that nurtures self-discovery, openness, empathy. The acclaimed educator exhorts his fellow inquirers to discover their own unique stores of wisdom and chart, alone and together.
His personal website page is ChristopherPhillips.com His nonprofit website is: SocratesCafe.com His Twitter is @ChristopherCafe His Instagram is @theSocratesCafe
His Facebook pages include:
https://www.facebook.com/SocratesCafe...
https://www.facebook.com/SocratesCafe...
Here's what two reviewers say about Christopher's newest book, 'Soul of Goodness':
"This textual gem of the heart, mind, soul, and body is an intellectual feast and existential blues song of he who decided to be true to his sacred Socratic calling and empty himself of his divine and human gifts in the open streets of the world to enrich the precious lives of us all." - Dr. Cornel West, author, Race Matters, Dietrich Bonhoeffer Professor of Philosophy and Christian Practice, Union Theological Seminary, educator, civil rights activist, author Race Matters and many other works.
"Soul of Goodness is a masterpiece which blends the images of the novel, the philosopher's wisdom and the journalist's clarity. Through an extraordinary use of these skills, Philips has given us a work of art which penetrates the nerve center of being as he patiently enters the interiors of pain, of suffering, culminating in joyous solutions as they seamlessly unravel in Global Socrates cafes to which visitors come to speak, to think and heal by the philosophical wisdoms of the vast literature of the Global South and Global North. In the hands of Phillips, philosophy becomes musical and music and poetry become philosophical. Written beautifully through the powers of images and narratives, the novel is used in the service of philosophy and philosophy itself as the dwelling place of all those who want to wonder, to imagine and be healed." -- Teodros Kiros, Professor of Philosophy at Berklee college & Harvard
Christopher Phillips has a passion for inquiry. A foremost specialist in the Socratic Method, sought after speaker, consultant and moderator, and noted author of works including the international bestsellers 'Socrates Cafe: A Fresh Taste of Philosophy,' 'Six Questions of Socrates: A Modern Day Journey of Discovery through World Philosophy', the critically acclaimed 'Constitution Cafe: Jefferson's Brew for a True Revolution', among others, including his newest work, 'Soul of Goodness' and a philosophical children's book series ('Day of Why,' 'The Philosophers' Club'), he reminds us that we ought to ask questions – “not about any chance question,” as Socrates put it in Plato’s Republic, “but about the way one should live.” He encourages us to turn on our childlike questioning lenses, and become our own best thinkers, askers, doers.
Dr. Phillips travels the world over holding dialogues with people of all walks of life. He believes that the process of dialogue and the space of human interaction are good for us as individuals and essential for us as a society. His goal is to inspire curiosity and wonder of a transformative sort, one that nurtures self-discovery, openness, empathy. The acclaimed educator exhorts his fellow inquirers to discover their own unique stores of wisdom and chart, alone and together.
His personal website page is ChristopherPhillips.com His nonprofit website is: SocratesCafe.com His Twitter is @ChristopherCafe His Instagram is @theSocratesCafe
His Facebook pages include:
https://www.facebook.com/SocratesCafe...
https://www.facebook.com/SocratesCafe...
Here's what two reviewers say about Christopher's newest book, 'Soul of Goodness':
"This textual gem of the heart, mind, soul, and body is an intellectual feast and existential blues song of he who decided to be true to his sacred Socratic calling and empty himself of his divine and human gifts in the open streets of the world to enrich the precious lives of us all." - Dr. Cornel West, author, Race Matters, Dietrich Bonhoeffer Professor of Philosophy and Christian Practice, Union Theological Seminary, educator, civil rights activist, author Race Matters and many other works.
"Soul of Goodness is a masterpiece which blends the images of the novel, the philosopher's wisdom and the journalist's clarity. Through an extraordinary use of these skills, Philips has given us a work of art which penetrates the nerve center of being as he patiently enters the interiors of pain, of suffering, culminating in joyous solutions as they seamlessly unravel in Global Socrates cafes to which visitors come to speak, to think and heal by the philosophical wisdoms of the vast literature of the Global South and Global North. In the hands of Phillips, philosophy becomes musical and music and poetry become philosophical. Written beautifully through the powers of images and narratives, the novel is used in the service of philosophy and philosophy itself as the dwelling place of all those who want to wonder, to imagine and be healed." -- Teodros Kiros, Professor of Philosophy at Berklee college & Harvard
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
November 7, 2007
Sometimes with philosophy books you don't know what you're getting. You can get either an arcane and stuffy book that boasts about its lofty wisdom, or you can get a down-to-earth book that's thought provoking for the average reader. This book falls into the latter category. The book basically centers around 6 ancient questions asked by Socrates himself. These questions are; what is virtue? what is justice? what is courage? what is good? what is piety? and what is moderation? Phillips has apparently traveled all over and held a type of Socratic dialogue with groups of people to find out answers to these questions, or at least to start to formulate an answer to them. Phillips believes along with Socrates that questioning certain beliefs, systems, or thoughts helps one arrive at better conceptions of them and one becomes more "excellent" as a human being. Excellent human beings make for more excellent societies.
Because Phillips held these dialogues with diverse groups of people you get a better perspective on how certain groups think about things. For instance, the typical American idea of virtue may be different from the Navajo idea of it. Phillips believes that philosophical answers to these questions are not set in stone. In other words, the answers are relational. For example, in some instances you must steadfastly tell the truth, but in others a white lie is more appropriate. This isn't to say that truth is relative but rather that situations differ and having a closed mind to a potential outcome doesn't help matters.
Phillips tries to provoke the kinds of questions that matter. Many societies have failed because of a willingness to ignore reality and an eager willingness to accept the current status-quo. Societies that are unwilling to look at themselves or ask themselves important questions about things such as freedom, peace, and patriotism are societies that falter.
Some people will object to this book on the grounds that Phillips tends to inject bits of his own political leanings. Even though I agree with him I can see conservatives complaining about his leftist interjections. However, you can't please everyone all the time. Nevertheless, this book is an enjoyable read that has the laudable aim of increasing wisdom and overcoming ignorance.
Because Phillips held these dialogues with diverse groups of people you get a better perspective on how certain groups think about things. For instance, the typical American idea of virtue may be different from the Navajo idea of it. Phillips believes that philosophical answers to these questions are not set in stone. In other words, the answers are relational. For example, in some instances you must steadfastly tell the truth, but in others a white lie is more appropriate. This isn't to say that truth is relative but rather that situations differ and having a closed mind to a potential outcome doesn't help matters.
Phillips tries to provoke the kinds of questions that matter. Many societies have failed because of a willingness to ignore reality and an eager willingness to accept the current status-quo. Societies that are unwilling to look at themselves or ask themselves important questions about things such as freedom, peace, and patriotism are societies that falter.
Some people will object to this book on the grounds that Phillips tends to inject bits of his own political leanings. Even though I agree with him I can see conservatives complaining about his leftist interjections. However, you can't please everyone all the time. Nevertheless, this book is an enjoyable read that has the laudable aim of increasing wisdom and overcoming ignorance.
January 20, 2020
This is really a shame of a book, and falls into the "a good thought poorly executed" category of failure. It seems a great task to move philosophy into the public sphere, especially around the world, and even more especially through the exquisite system of Socratic inquiry. The question are traditional and inexhaustible: What is Piety? What is Moderation? What are Good, Courage, Virtue, and Justice? We seem well poised to deliver a thoughtful book on how different cultures look at these things at depth; and in the best version of this book, that is what would have happened: the author would have called into question in-built biases, errors in logic, and inconsistencies within these larger cultural structures, eventually honing in on the individual questions: What is Good to you? What is Good to your culture? How does Good look in terms of a broader humanity?
And yet, this book was strikingly un-Socratic, though why this was is a profound mystery to me. The author has clearly read of Socrates through Plato, and so should know how Socrates functions as an interlocutor. Yet, the author seemed merely content to listen in these dialogues, and doesn't really lead his partners (or himself) to greater understanding of the virtues. Basically, the author pitched the question, one discussion member would run with the chosen virtue through a cultural lens, another would either agree or disagree through that same cultural lens, so on and so forth. But the groups were never challenged. All the dialogue occurred within the cultural framework at hand, but the assumptions and foundational principles of those worldviews were never questioned. (Can you imagine Socrates not pushing down that far?) At most the author would ask one or two clarifying questions, but there was no push toward finding Truth. Perhaps he did not want to assume cultural knowledge and force scrutiny of ingrained cultural norms; perhaps he didn't trust that his interlocutors would be willing to actually have difficult conversations; perhaps the focus of these groups is not pursuing Truth. And even though the dialogues were at times tense, this does not mean that they were difficult. Just because two people disagree in conversation does not mean that a conversation is difficult; difficulty arises when, in order to move on, one person has to give something up -- and often this is a cherished notion or belief. But there's really none of that in this book; people sometimes shift focus or admit that someone has a point, but there's no greater direction to the conversation. We don't come away feeling that we've learned anything; people have just aired their laundry (i.e. their opinions) in front of others. And, again, there is almost no depth to any of these conversations. They flit all around the world, these superficial discussions on some of our most human virtues. It's a huge disservice to bring Socrates into this at all. Focusing on one cultural group per question (or two, at most) and then giving a deep analysis into objective morality through cultural expression would have been far more interesting, and, I think, far more meaningful for all involved.
And then there's the writing. Hoo-boy, was this challenging. There are, and I am not in any way exaggerating, too many direct quotations in this book . Again, this is not hyperbole: there is at least one direct quote per page of this book. I cannot imagine a writing style that is more chopped-up, more rampantly heterogeneous, or more unpleasant to experience than having to read someone else's words (someone else's voice) interspersed with the author's every other paragraph. It was absolutely bewildering. And the quotes generally aren't even good or germane. They smack of the "I've read this; have you?" sort of unnecessary pedantry which sits hidden underneath the sink for most authors. But in this book, in which probably 1/4 of the words are not the author's words, it just feels like literary exhibitionism. So this is problem one: hiding one's voice behind thousands of words that are not your own, in combination with an unnecessary concoction of eclectic and unenriching quotes. Problem two is just the spelling and other grammatical issues. I marked ten places at least in which things were misspelled or nonsensical, but nothing is worse than what occurs on page 233. This is exhibit A of the author reading things specifically so that he may feature them in a paragraph in his book yet not having a deeper contextual understanding of the topic: after spelling Akira Kurosawa's name (the Kurosawa!) correctly, he then proceeds to spell it incorrectly two different times! First, it is "Kurozawa" and then it is "Kirosawa"? How does this occur? I am generally forgiving of blips and errors, but a book of this size should not have as many as it does. And, in combination with the direct quotes (there are six on that page, by the way. Six), I find my ability to forgive riding off into the sunset rather quickly.
If there is anything of worth, it is the last chapter which explores the possibility of excellence in modernity. While that should have begun the book (there is no introduction, so we don't really know what the author is up to in this book (which I also take issue with)), at least it's at the end. If you are going for an introduction to philosophy, I wouldn't pick up this book. It's more cultural anthropology than anything, and it's not even really that.
And yet, this book was strikingly un-Socratic, though why this was is a profound mystery to me. The author has clearly read of Socrates through Plato, and so should know how Socrates functions as an interlocutor. Yet, the author seemed merely content to listen in these dialogues, and doesn't really lead his partners (or himself) to greater understanding of the virtues. Basically, the author pitched the question, one discussion member would run with the chosen virtue through a cultural lens, another would either agree or disagree through that same cultural lens, so on and so forth. But the groups were never challenged. All the dialogue occurred within the cultural framework at hand, but the assumptions and foundational principles of those worldviews were never questioned. (Can you imagine Socrates not pushing down that far?) At most the author would ask one or two clarifying questions, but there was no push toward finding Truth. Perhaps he did not want to assume cultural knowledge and force scrutiny of ingrained cultural norms; perhaps he didn't trust that his interlocutors would be willing to actually have difficult conversations; perhaps the focus of these groups is not pursuing Truth. And even though the dialogues were at times tense, this does not mean that they were difficult. Just because two people disagree in conversation does not mean that a conversation is difficult; difficulty arises when, in order to move on, one person has to give something up -- and often this is a cherished notion or belief. But there's really none of that in this book; people sometimes shift focus or admit that someone has a point, but there's no greater direction to the conversation. We don't come away feeling that we've learned anything; people have just aired their laundry (i.e. their opinions) in front of others. And, again, there is almost no depth to any of these conversations. They flit all around the world, these superficial discussions on some of our most human virtues. It's a huge disservice to bring Socrates into this at all. Focusing on one cultural group per question (or two, at most) and then giving a deep analysis into objective morality through cultural expression would have been far more interesting, and, I think, far more meaningful for all involved.
And then there's the writing. Hoo-boy, was this challenging. There are, and I am not in any way exaggerating, too many direct quotations in this book . Again, this is not hyperbole: there is at least one direct quote per page of this book. I cannot imagine a writing style that is more chopped-up, more rampantly heterogeneous, or more unpleasant to experience than having to read someone else's words (someone else's voice) interspersed with the author's every other paragraph. It was absolutely bewildering. And the quotes generally aren't even good or germane. They smack of the "I've read this; have you?" sort of unnecessary pedantry which sits hidden underneath the sink for most authors. But in this book, in which probably 1/4 of the words are not the author's words, it just feels like literary exhibitionism. So this is problem one: hiding one's voice behind thousands of words that are not your own, in combination with an unnecessary concoction of eclectic and unenriching quotes. Problem two is just the spelling and other grammatical issues. I marked ten places at least in which things were misspelled or nonsensical, but nothing is worse than what occurs on page 233. This is exhibit A of the author reading things specifically so that he may feature them in a paragraph in his book yet not having a deeper contextual understanding of the topic: after spelling Akira Kurosawa's name (the Kurosawa!) correctly, he then proceeds to spell it incorrectly two different times! First, it is "Kurozawa" and then it is "Kirosawa"? How does this occur? I am generally forgiving of blips and errors, but a book of this size should not have as many as it does. And, in combination with the direct quotes (there are six on that page, by the way. Six), I find my ability to forgive riding off into the sunset rather quickly.
If there is anything of worth, it is the last chapter which explores the possibility of excellence in modernity. While that should have begun the book (there is no introduction, so we don't really know what the author is up to in this book (which I also take issue with)), at least it's at the end. If you are going for an introduction to philosophy, I wouldn't pick up this book. It's more cultural anthropology than anything, and it's not even really that.
July 22, 2022
Socrates was an Ancient Greek philosopher. He posed questions to people about many different subjects. Justice, piety, the good, courage, virtue, and moderation; what are they? In his question-and-answer style, he revealed that the person did not know what they were talking about. Socrates offended the rulers of Athens with his Socratic method and made to drink hemlock.
Christopher Phillips brings Socrates into the modern era by posing his questions to various people across the globe. Phillips travels to places like an American Navajo Reservation, Japan, Greece, South Korea, and so on. I'm assuming I was supposed to be surprised that most people share common core values.
Phillips poses the question to a group, and they have a round table discussion. The answers are often revealing of society as a whole. For example, the question 'what is justice?' obtained some answers that I hadn't considered. Some societies don't have a specific word for justice or injustice because they do not need to describe it. Another answer that surprised me was from people of the Muslim faith. They were talking about the burqa and hajib and chiding Laura Bush for her ignorance and generalization.
The book is fascinating in another sense. It works as a time capsule for the turn of the millennium. I remember the September 11th attacks, but I recall very little of the aftermath. The question of reparations kept appearing.
I have no qualms with the book. It was enlightening for several reasons. Philosophy is a field of inquiry that doesn’t change its core tenets, and these deep questions illuminate our common humanity.
Thanks for reading my review, and see you next time.
Christopher Phillips brings Socrates into the modern era by posing his questions to various people across the globe. Phillips travels to places like an American Navajo Reservation, Japan, Greece, South Korea, and so on. I'm assuming I was supposed to be surprised that most people share common core values.
Phillips poses the question to a group, and they have a round table discussion. The answers are often revealing of society as a whole. For example, the question 'what is justice?' obtained some answers that I hadn't considered. Some societies don't have a specific word for justice or injustice because they do not need to describe it. Another answer that surprised me was from people of the Muslim faith. They were talking about the burqa and hajib and chiding Laura Bush for her ignorance and generalization.
The book is fascinating in another sense. It works as a time capsule for the turn of the millennium. I remember the September 11th attacks, but I recall very little of the aftermath. The question of reparations kept appearing.
I have no qualms with the book. It was enlightening for several reasons. Philosophy is a field of inquiry that doesn’t change its core tenets, and these deep questions illuminate our common humanity.
Thanks for reading my review, and see you next time.
May 8, 2018
Αν και υπήρχαν κάποιες υπεραπλουστεύσεις στο κείμενο (κυρίως πολιτικής φύσεως), μπορώ να πω πως το βιβλίο αυτό, χωρίς να μπαίνει στα βαθιά, μπορεί να χρησιμεύσει ως πολύ καλός οδηγός στο να μπαίνουμε συχνότερα στην διαδικασία να αμφισβητούμε και να θέτουμε ερωτηματικά σχετικά με την ανθρώπινη συμπεριφορά και φύση.
Μια αισθητική παρατήρηση αφορά στο εξώφυλλο (αυτής της έκδοσης, γιατί σε άλλες είδα πως διορθώθηκε, κάπως), το οποίο θεωρώ πως αδικεί κατά πολύ το περιεχόμενο.
Μια αισθητική παρατήρηση αφορά στο εξώφυλλο (αυτής της έκδοσης, γιατί σε άλλες είδα πως διορθώθηκε, κάπως), το οποίο θεωρώ πως αδικεί κατά πολύ το περιεχόμενο.
February 19, 2019
If it hadn't been for the conclusion, this book would have been a total waste. I'm not against Phillips's approach to philosophy, or the premise of asking these six Socratic questions and exploring them in an equally Socratic fashion. But the writing here is terrible, with the fakest sounding dialogs I've ever read, and an annoying mix of pseudo-academic references interspersed that actually add nothing to the discussion but just show that someone else at some point and time had a similar thought to something one of Phillips's interlocutors has said. The conclusion is worthwhile, though, an actually relevant, detailed discussion of how virtue and excellence fit into contemporary society, and this essay alone is really the only part of the book worth reading. Another weird thing to complain about that actually makes a huge difference: the book is formatted so strangely, with chapters beginning on the left-hand pages and things like acknowledgements, further reading, and references being arranged in massive columns of difficult-to-read text; the book doesn't even have an introduction to contextualize any of what the reader is about to jump into, which is a whole other area of frustration. This is one of the most disappointing books I've read in recent years, with an interesting premise that holds some promise yet falls entirely to pieces in its execution.
August 17, 2009
Yup, decided it was only OK. Maybe it was b/c I actually took a couple philosophy classes in college, but this book seemed pretty elementary to me. Basically, you are reading dialogues from various groups of people around the world, which are their responses to the 6 classic questions of Socrates. I didn't find any of their own philosophies and notions particularly insightful nor intriguing. Sigh. If you published comments from high school/beginning college philo class discussions from around the world, you would end up w/the contents of this book. Yawn.
March 22, 2009
This book should be required reading in college. It's not a classic but it is a remedy for the insular, often predjudiced thinking of many Americans. On the other hand, it is a remedy for the sheltered or disengaged. It also provdes a revolutionary model of education and dialogue. It is a great book for any thinking person as well as for anyone who needs to think a little more.
August 24, 2009
Technically I did not finish this. I fell asleep each time I picked it back up. Real snoozer.
September 8, 2021
In a way, this is a pleasant look, like a fly on the wall, into discussions about philosophy conducted by Christopher Phillips around the world. You see how much people think about these things and that talking about them leads to understanding and shared knowledge. It is not without fault though, because the conversations are wider in the approach of all the six questions(what is: Virtue, Moderation, Justice, Good, Courage, and Piety?) - as Phillips is not digging too deep or challenge the participants too much, he is rather letting them talk, sits back, and sees where the discussion is going whiles sometimes popping in and guiding it. The book is thus full of quotes from these discussions. We get to have a glimpse into many conflicts around the world, and Phillips is good at providing the needed facts to the discussion so that the reader can follow. Educational it is. Getting understanding about other views is also good, although there are few opposing voices heard, that can exemplify different branches of thought - rather, the idea here seems to be in finding unity and common ground - the goal seems to be peace, rather than the discussing ideas. Most opposite views seem to be the one with the jews and Palestinians.
January 15, 2022
This book follows Phillips as he travels the world, meeting with various groups and discussing six questions that Socrates frequently asked: what is virtue, moderation, justice, courage, good, and piety? These groups are in very different cultures from South Korea to Mexico to the United States, all from various backgrounds. This book is a documentation of all the different thoughts and ideas both brought up in these meetings as well as by Phillips himself. I enjoyed hearing people discuss philosophical topics like these in a more relevant, modern setting. Saying that, at times this book seems to try to do too much. It examines a bit of Socrates ideas. It discusses different cultures, like Islam immigrants in the US or Mexican native people's dealing with discriminations. Saying that, the ideas aren't that vast and varied for being so vast and varied. It is clear Phillips has certain ideas of the world and the groups he discusses with for the most part agree with those ideas. I personally would have liked the groups to be much more varied in their opinions. For the most part they agreed. Still, this is a fascinating book which does bring to light an important idea that I love: philosophy is not for the ancient Greeks, but for all times.
June 9, 2018
In this book, the six questions asked are – “What is virtue?”, “What is moderation?”, “What is courage?”, "What is justice?", “What is piety?”, and "What is good?" Phillips has “Socrates Café” meetings in a variety of settings and with people of highly diverse backgrounds. This is his device for obtaining different points of view in order to get crowd-sourced dialogues going which gives him material that helps fill his books out, for sure. But I give him credit for traveling around the world and having these dialogues in places where examples are varied and engaging as a result.
The settings for the dialogues - which took place in the early 2000s, includes a homeless shelter in Madrid, a Navajo Reservation, and a gathering of Muslim women in Detroit very soon after 9/11.
The settings and the participation selection process result in a considered set of discussions. By the time you are done, you realize that you covered most of this in your Philosophy courses, assuming you took Philosophy 101 in college. But having these dialogues in modern times, framed by contemporary events and cultural challenges brings the questions up-to-date, compared to reading Plato's recounting of the Socratic dialogues.
I can't say there were any revelations or unique insights gathered from reading this, but I did enjoy updated discussions about these questions. It's worth stepping outside the noise from time to time and pondering them more frequently.
The settings for the dialogues - which took place in the early 2000s, includes a homeless shelter in Madrid, a Navajo Reservation, and a gathering of Muslim women in Detroit very soon after 9/11.
The settings and the participation selection process result in a considered set of discussions. By the time you are done, you realize that you covered most of this in your Philosophy courses, assuming you took Philosophy 101 in college. But having these dialogues in modern times, framed by contemporary events and cultural challenges brings the questions up-to-date, compared to reading Plato's recounting of the Socratic dialogues.
I can't say there were any revelations or unique insights gathered from reading this, but I did enjoy updated discussions about these questions. It's worth stepping outside the noise from time to time and pondering them more frequently.
November 17, 2023
Question One: What is virtue? The author discusses this question -- in quasi-Socratic style -- with a group literally in the shadow of the Acropolis, near where the ancient sage held court. Then he leads a discussion with a number of Navajos on their 'rez' and another discussion in Japan. It is interesting to see the differences, the contrasts, and the similarities. Question Two: Why did I stop reading at page 44? Quite simply, this book was not entirely what I was expecting...and certainly not what I needed at this time. Thumbing through the remaining pages, it looks like a book that would interest me, so perhaps I will return to it at some later time. But for now...
January 14, 2025
This book was worth reading. I really enjoyed how Philips related interactions from different cultures with the Socratic questions. It was fascinating to read facts from different cultures that impacted how they related to the questions, historical facts that I was unfamiliar with.
There were certainly some moments where Philips own views came through - it seems that bothered some reviewers, but I was not really thrown off by that.
Others have commented on the amounts of quotes - which is something I really enjoyed about the book. I felt i was able to have a seat at a table in a conversation about Socrate’s questions.
A recommended read.
There were certainly some moments where Philips own views came through - it seems that bothered some reviewers, but I was not really thrown off by that.
Others have commented on the amounts of quotes - which is something I really enjoyed about the book. I felt i was able to have a seat at a table in a conversation about Socrate’s questions.
A recommended read.
May 18, 2019
It is a provoking read that is worth reading. Trying to answer the 6 Socrate’s questions.
What is Virtue?
What is Justice?
What is Good?
What is Courage?
What is Piety?
And in the end trying to answer ‘Is Excellence still possible?’
Different views from people from all over the world with different religious and ethnic background, makes you think how similar we all are and yet how different.
I think that to keep our civilisation and live a life of excellence, it is a bottom up process that starts with a conscious, mindful human being, who is responsible for himself and for others.
What is Virtue?
What is Justice?
What is Good?
What is Courage?
What is Piety?
And in the end trying to answer ‘Is Excellence still possible?’
Different views from people from all over the world with different religious and ethnic background, makes you think how similar we all are and yet how different.
I think that to keep our civilisation and live a life of excellence, it is a bottom up process that starts with a conscious, mindful human being, who is responsible for himself and for others.
December 29, 2017
It's interesting that the author, who leads Socratic discussion groups all over the world, has so many demographics with which to work. My own Socrates Cafe is but one kind. We are white adults, some retired, some not, and we meet once a month. Our topics are generally chosen ahead and so everyone knows what to talk about. We are lively, but respectful, and we try to keep philosophy alive.
January 30, 2021
I decided to read this book as my first dive into understand philosophy and that of Socratic Philosophy. I didn’t think the classics would speak to me upfront. I needed to connect with modern folks and understand how these virtues can be applied today. In the end, I think this was an interesting introduction to virtues as a practice and to considering the true lesson in living a virtuous life.
October 8, 2019
I was surprised by this book. I picked it up at a library book sale and was drawn in as soon as I started reading. The writing style is engaging and accessible while still challenging the reader to think carefully about the questions raised.
February 2, 2025
If I had read it when I bought it in 2005, it would have been more relevant. But since then, the situations in the countries he visited have changed radically, for the better and worse. Otherwise, the discussions were good.
March 19, 2025
Απ'τα πιο ωραία βιβλία που έχω διαβάσει. Χρησιμοποιεί πολύ ωραία την διαλεκτική μέθοδο και ο αναγνώστης μαθαίνει ευχάριστα και για ιστορίες ανθρώπων μειονοτήτων.
Επίσης θα ήθελα να αναφέρω ότι ήταν υπέροχη η τοποθέτηση στο θέμα Ισραήλ Παλαιστίνης
Επίσης θα ήθελα να αναφέρω ότι ήταν υπέροχη η τοποθέτηση στο θέμα Ισραήλ Παλαιστίνης
November 30, 2018
Read for program planning purposes. This book and Socrates Cafe are good resources to execute a successful Philosophy discussion group.
May 30, 2018
I really enjoyed reading this book because it gave good insight to his travels and research without making it long and boring to read. I feel that you can gain sufficient information about Socrates and his questions without having to do too much background research. Phillips laid out each question in a structured manor that didn't vary thru ought the book which made finding certain information very easy. The book does't exactly have a plot because it not a traditional story. The characters are real people that are talking present day and it's more of a documentary on paper than the story of Ancient Greek philosophers. I think that this is a very approachable book for a high-school freshmen and that you don't have to read much to get a good idea of what's going to happen in the book.
May 9, 2019
4.2*
December 16, 2024
This did nothing for me. Most of it is not the author's own words and nothing of value is added to the thoughts of those spoken to.
August 15, 2013
Following up on his bestselling book, Socrates Café, Christopher Phillips delivers another serving of practical philosophy. In Six Questions of Socrates, Phillips discusses the original six questions asked by Socrates in Plato’s “Dialogues”: What is virtue? What is moderation? What is justice? What is courage? What is good? And what is piety? Phillips shares his thoughts on these questions, along with the viewpoints of numerous others who participated in discussions. As with all the books in his "Socrates series," the questions and discussions provide a great launching point for readers to begin their own discussions with others or merely ponder their own thoughts on important subjects. A very worthwhile read.
June 8, 2015
I loved this book. The premise of the book is simple: Phillips travels around the world, asking different groups of people six questions: What is justice? What is good? What is courage? What is moderation? What is virtue? and What is piety? Far from mundane, their responses are illuminating and thought-provoking. New Yorker's interviewed shortly after the 9/11 attacks speak to justice. Patients with severe mental illness discuss courage. I came away from this book both with an appreciation for the values of different cultures, and I came away inspired to consider what my values are and how I can learn from questioning them.
Read
July 28, 2011I found the cultural aspects of this book much more interesting than the philosophy. It was fascinating to see the similarities, and differences, of people so far removed from one another. As for the questions of Socrates and the pursuit of excellence, I couldn't help wondering "What for?" It seems to be taken as basic assumption that this should be the ultimate human endeavour, without exploring why.
June 23, 2009
I found it a difficult read because it was so open-ended. The author interviewed people of various cultures which resulted in a wide variety of interpretations of the questions at hand without any definite conclusions. Then again, this may be what he intended. I think this book would make a good basis for a group discussion. Perhaps I should read "Socrates Cafe."
July 26, 2009
Author Phillips travels around the world, asking people the same questions Socrates asked. Nice premise for a book. Somehow, I imagine the actual experiences of meeting with the groups were a lot more fun than what is presented in the book. Why is it sometimes you can't capture that zing in a book?
August 18, 2008
This book is a followup to SOCRATES CAFE and generates a lot of thought. I liked to read it a few pages at a time. It provides insight into other cultures while prompting an evaluation of one's own culture. I've run out of time for now, so I've only completed 3 of the 6 questions.
January 28, 2009
Good questions and good methods. The groups represented in the book are heavily weighted toward non-Western and political activist. It wasn't what I was looking for, for my spiritually focused reading group. We need to hold our own Socrates Cafe to relate it to our own issues.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews