MD Socrates: martyr to the truth

From: Elizaphanian (Elizaphanian@members.v21.co.uk)
Date: Sat Nov 30 2002 - 20:12:59 GMT

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    Hi David,

    > Thanks for the context. The fuller picture raises some questions for me,
    but
    > I just wanted to point out that historical times begin about the time of
    > Socrates. Prehistoric times aren't exactly the same as pre-Socratic times,
    > but they're in the same ballpark. The beginning of history is not the
    > beginning of time or of humantiy, it is the beginning of human record
    > keeping. Sure, we can find all kinds of artifacts that tell us about
    > pre-historic cultures that go way, way back, but those artifacts were not
    > produced as historical records. Herodotus is widely, but arguably,
    > considered the father of history. He was born about 490 BCE. I wonder if
    he
    > knew Socrates? In any case, it looks like its my turn to expand your
    > vocabulary. Fortunately, "prehistoric" is a word you'll find in any normal
    > English dictionary.

    Can you expand on what you mean by 'in the same ballpark'? For example, does
    Solon count as prehistoric?
    If the beginning of history is the beginning of record keeping, why can't it
    begin with the invention of cuneiform writing c3500BC in the Sumerian
    civilisation? Or at least include the Pharaohs (hieroglyphs were well
    established by 3000BC)

    I'm more interested in your understanding of Socrates though. (Hopefully we
    can have a fun conversation about him).You said (to Steve): "In the days
    before Socrates, just before the intellecual level was born..."

    How do you read Pirsig's comment in ZMM that what he was saying about
    Quality 'is somehow opposed to all this. It seems to agree much more closely
    with the Sophists.' (p368 in my copy) (ie opposed to what Socrates and Plato
    were trying to do)?

    Sam
    www.elizaphanian.v-2-1.net/home.html

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