Socrates

What would happen if the Socrates of old suddenly appeared in modern Athens? Peter Kreeft imagines the dialog that might ensue with three worthy opponents---a doctor, a philosopher and a psychologist---about the arguments surrounding abortion.

Kreeft uses Socratic technique to strip away the emotional issues and get to the heart of the rational objections to abortion. Logic joins humor as Socrates challenges the standard rhetoric and passion of the contemporary debate.

Socrates, the great questioner, somehow appears at Have It University (think Harvard), and begins to, as he is wont to do, ask a lot of questions. His questions pierce to the heart of various issues, causing people to reconsider their beliefs. His interactions with the students and faculty at Have It lead him to different conclusions about life and its purpose than those espoused at the great school of learning.

Socrates has been extremely influential in Western thought, philosophy, and experience. Understand the man behind so much of our thinking with this comprehensive Companion! Covering the life the life of Socrates, the key doctrines associated with him, the range of Socratic studies, and Socrates' place in the larger philosophical world, you'll be better equipped to identify and understand the influence of Socrates. 560 pages, paperback.

Philosophy means "the love of wisdom." Kreeft uses the dialogues of Socrates to help the reader grow in that love. He says that no master of the art of philosophizing has ever been more simple, clear, and accessible to beginners as has Socrates. He focuses on Plato's dialogues, the Apology of Socrates, as a lively example to imitate, and a model partner for the reader for dialogue. Kreeft calls it "the Magna Carta of philosophy," a timeless classic that is "a portable classroom."

Read what Socrates is saying closely! Arguing that through studying Socrates we can learn practical wisdom to apply to our lives, Socrates is humorous and enjoyable, with thought-experiments and literary references as well as an overview of Socratic arguments. 240 pages, paperback.