#1963 The Sophist vs. The Philosopher

In our last +1, we spent some time with Donald Robertson and learned a bit more about How to Think Like Socrates.

As you may recall, we chatted about the distinction between the ancient (and modern!) “Sophist” and philosopher.

Today I want to continue that discussion.

First, I want to give Donald a proper introduction.

Donald Robertson is a writer, trainer, and cognitive-behavioral psychotherapist.

He’s also one of the world’s leading scholars and practitioners of Stoic philosophy and has played a leading role in helping bring this ancient wisdom to our modern world.

He has been one of my absolute favorite writers and Stoic thinkers/practitioners since I read one of his earlier books called The Philosophy of Cognitive Behavior Therapy and his more recent book called How to Think Like a Roman Emperor.

This book cemented that position in my mind. It’s a remarkably creative, thoughtful, and practical exploration of the life and wisdom of the founder of Western philosophy.

Now…

Let’s get to work.

In How to Think Like Socrates, Donald comes back to the whole “Sophist vs. Philosopher” many times.

Later in the book, he tells us: “Socrates, however, said that this meant orators resembled confectioners. At first this perplexed everyone, but Socrates explained what he meant. ‘Confectioners,’ he said, ‘come up with recipes for sweets, which appeal to the tastes of their customers. They learn, through trial and error, how to give people what they want regardless of whether it’s good for them or not.’ Socrates said that he therefore considered both rhetoric and confectionary to be forms of pandering to others, by attempting to gratify them: one with sweets, the other with fine words.”

And, he tells us: “‘Pandering,’ said Socrates, ‘pays no attention to the best interests of its subjects and instead catches the foolish with the bait of pleasure, tricking them into esteeming it more highly than their own good.’ On this definition, of course, the vast majority of ‘politicians’ would be panderers, or demagogues, rather than genuine statesmen. These men employ rhetoric in order to gain power instead of studying justice and learning how to benefit society.”

Plus, he says: “They are far more concerned with the appearance than truth, and they create the impression of possessing wisdom and virtue despite being ignorant of their nature. ‘Rhetorical is to the mind,’ said Socrates, ‘as confectionary is to the body—both are knacks that their practitioners have developed for pandering to the desires of the ignorant, and neither puts any attention on what is in anyone’s best interest.”

That's Today’s +1.

Let’s step back from all the content we’re consuming and check in on whether we’re being sold candy or being offered medicine for our soul.

And…

Let’s make sure we’re not the ones pandering to what people want to hear as we stop selling candy to ourselves and to those around us.

While we do that, here’s to remembering one of Socrates’ most famous admonitions…

“For I do nothing but go around persuading you all, old and young alike, not to worry about your reputation or your property but to make it your greatest concern to achieve the greatest improvements possible in your own character. Moral wisdom is not acquired through money. On the contrary, such wisdom is a source of true wealth and everything else that is good for man and for the city.”