Overview
When Russell talks about things like “prejudice” and “common sense,” what does he mean? Based on his use of these terms, what role does he think philosophy should play in addressing “prejudice” or “common sense”? How might this compare to the role that Socrates thinks philosophy should play in a society? Use specific passages from The Apology and the Russell reading on “The Value of Philosophy” in your response.
What was the method that Socrates used in his discussions, and how did his approach differ from that of the Sophists? How would you compare Socrates' method from that of Russell, or that of Descartes?
- What did the Oracle at Delphi mean when he told Socrates “You are the wisest of men”? How does Socrates’ understanding of wisdom compare with how Russell describes philosophy and having a sense of wonder?
- Socrates wanted to be known as a “philo-sophoi” and not a “sophist.” Explain the difference between these two terms, and give an example of how Socrates addresses ethical issues in a way that shows his love of the truth. Was he unjustly accused? Was he a gadfly in a good way, or merely a nuisance to the people of Athens?
- Russell is arguing for why philosophy is valuable. You'll want to think about his argument using his own key ideas: How does he think philosophy is different from science? Does he think philosophy is different from science in a good or bad sense, like one is better than the other, or that they are just different methods each worthy in their own way? Explain.