How to Think Like Socrates
Ancient Philosophy As a Way of Life in the Modern World
Donald Robertson is a writer, trainer, and cognitive-behavioural psychotherapist. He’s also one of the world’s leading scholars and practitioners of Stoic philosophy. He has been one of my absolute favorite writers and Stoic thinkers/practitioners since I read some of his earlier books. This book is a remarkably creative, thoughtful, and practical exploration of the life and wisdom of the founder of Western philosophy.
Big Ideas
“Socrates was a real person—a famous Athenian philosopher. However, despite a rich tradition of literature, many details concerning his life and thought remain uncertain. The challenge of sorting out truth from fiction in our sources, which has vexed historians throughout the ages, is known as the ‘Socratic problem.’ …
We are therefore best to consider the Socratic dialogues of Plato and Xenophon as largely make-believe. They employ the character of Socrates as a literary device, used to imagine what he might have said if such a conversation had taken place. As the twentieth-century philosopher Karl Jaspers put it, we have inherited such contradictory information that it may simply be impossible to reconstruct an accurate image of the real man.
Nevertheless, the anecdotes once told about Socrates deserve to be retold for modern readers who are interested in his philosophy. This book therefore contains a dramatized and semi-fictional account of the life of Socrates, designed to make his thought more accessible, while also highlighting connections with modern psychology. I believe that is the best way to help the largest number of people benefit from his story. Even if we ‘forgo a historical Socrates,’ this does not prevent us from continuing to derive immense value from the literary character of ‘Socrates’ passed down to us from ancient sources.”
~ Donald Robertson from How to Think Like Socrates
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 Behavioural 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.
I highly recommend it. Get a copy here.
As you’d expect, the book is packed with wisdom. As always, I’m excited to share some of my favorites, so let’s jump straight in!
P.S. In addition to being one of my favorite teachers, Donald is ALSO one of the most thoughtful, kind, and generous human beings I know.
I started creating this Note the day before the family and I flew out to Athens to connect with nearly 200 members of our Heroic community to train our next cohort of Heroic Workshop Instructors (Class III!!). I finished it the week after returning.
Donald joined us in Athens to share his wisdom. He did a talk on the ancient grounds of Plato’s Academy (which Donald is bringing back to life!) and also gave a couple of spontaneous talks on the Acropolis. The trip was absolutely HEROIC. Want to join us for a future Heroic experience? Learn more about upcoming events and join us here.
P.P.S. Learn more about Donald here and learn more about his work with Plato’s Academy here.
But men of faint heart never yet set up a trophy ... wherefore you must go forward to your discoursing manfully, and, invoking the aid of Apollo and the Muses, exhibit and celebrate the virtues of your ancient citizens.
Could there be a whole philosophy of life based on, or at least consistent with, the fundamental insights of modern psychotherapy? Socrates, like most ancient philosophers, saw the quest for wisdom and the promise of emotional well-being as two sides of the same coin. He insisted that the mission he undertook, in the spirit of Apollo, the god of healing, was not only philosophical but also therapeutic.
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