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Quote by Rebecca Goldstein

“I was trained as a philosopher never to put philosophers and their ideas into historical contexts, since historical context has nothing to do with the validity of the philosopher's positions. I agree that assessing validity and contextualizing historically are two entirely distinct matters and not to be confused with one another. And yet that firm distinction doesn't lead me to endorse the usual way in which history of philosophy is presented.”

Quote by Rebecca Goldstein

Book:Plato at the Googleplex: Why Philosophy Won't Go Away

Work

Plato at the Googleplex: Why Philosophy Won't Go Away

In 'Plato at the Googleplex,' the author investigates the timeless nature of philosophy by imagining conversations between the ancient Greek philosopher Plato and modern figures such as Google employees. The book delves into the enduring significance of philosophical concepts and their applicability to today's society. more

Author

Rebecca Goldstein

Rebecca Goldstein, born on February 23, 1950, is an American novelist known for her profound psychological insights and philosophical explorations. Her works, such as 'The Mind-Body Problem' and 'Natural History', are celebrated for their blend of literature and philosophy. more

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“The philosophers talk across the centuries exclusively to one another, hermetically sealed from any influences derived from non-philosophical discourse.”

Influence Century Philosophical Philosopher Discourse

Book:Plato at the Googleplex: Why Philosophy Won't Go Away

Source: Plato at the Googleplex: Why Philosophy Won't Go Away

“When you ask why did some particular question occur to a scientist or philosopher for the first time, or why did this particular approach seem natural, then your questions concern the context of discovery. When you ask whether the argument the philosopher puts forth to answer that question is sound, or whether the evidence justifies the scientific theory proposed, then you've entered the context of justification. Considerations of history, sociology, anthropology, and psychology are relevant to the context of discovery, but not to justification.”

Source: Plato at the Googleplex: Why Philosophy Won't Go Away

“One doesn't diminish a philosopher's achievement, and doesn't undermine its soundness, by showing how the particular set of questions on which he focused, the orientation he brought to bear on his focus, has some causal connection to the circumstances of his life.”

Focus Particular Bears Circumstances Achievement Connections Philosopher Focused Diminish Orientation Soundness

Author:Rebecca Goldstein

“I have a Greek-American friend who named her daughter "Nike" and is often asked why she chose to name her offspring after a sneaker.”

Names Daughter Greek Offspring Sneakers Nike

Book:Plato at the Googleplex: Why Philosophy Won't Go Away

Source: Plato at the Googleplex: Why Philosophy Won't Go Away

“This is the pedagogical paradox. The person and the teacher is required precisely because the knowledge itself is nontransferable from teacher to student.”

Persons Teacher Students Paradox Teacher Student

Book:Plato at the Googleplex: Why Philosophy Won't Go Away

Source: Plato at the Googleplex: Why Philosophy Won't Go Away

“What is remarkable about the Greeks - even pre-philosophically - is that despite the salience of religious rituals in their lives, when it came to the question of what it is that makes an individual human life worth living they didn't look to the immortals but rather approached the question in mortal terms. Their approaching the question of human mattering in human terms is the singularity that creates the conditions for philosophy in ancient Greece, most especially as these conditions were realized in the city-state of Athens.”

“If you don't exert yourself, or if your exertions don't amount to much of anything, then you might as well not have bothered to have shown up for your existence at all.”

Ifs Wells Might Existence Amount Bothered Exertion

Book:Plato at the Googleplex: Why Philosophy Won't Go Away

Source: Plato at the Googleplex: Why Philosophy Won't Go Away

“The contrast between the two, the sweetness and the badness, wrenches the heart of the lover as such sweetness on its own would not, and the lover shudders all the more at dread of the beloved's recklessness, for the sake of the sweetness that is there, and the shudder only makes more violent the shuddering that announces love.”

Heart Two Lovers Sake Violent Beloved Contrast Dread Sweetness Badness Recklessness Wrenches Shuddering

Book:Plato at the Googleplex: Why Philosophy Won't Go Away

Source: Plato at the Googleplex: Why Philosophy Won't Go Away

“There is nothing superstitious about forcing bad consequences for the hubris of paternalistic utopianism. Humanity should never be frozen into a vision of the best. A creative society must be willing to tolerate some degree of instability because creativity is inherently unstable.”

Should Humanity Vision Creativity Creative Willing Degrees Consequence Tolerate Frozen Unstable Superstitious Instability Hubris

Author:Rebecca Goldstein

“Plato conceived of philosophy as necessarily gregarious rather than solitary. The exposure of presumptions is best done in company, the more argumentative the better.”

Done Philosophy Company Solitary Plato Exposure Presumption Gregarious

Book:Plato at the Googleplex: Why Philosophy Won't Go Away

Source: Plato at the Googleplex: Why Philosophy Won't Go Away