How to Think Like Socrates

The author has given us a bit of everything Socrates. History, Philosophy, and even some psychology.

The teachings of Socrates are just as important today as they were in his own time. Here, we learn how to use the teachings to question our own values and thoughts.

This was really good in learning the social media influences on our lives and how we should be questioning those.

Excellent.

NetGalley/ St. Martin’s Press November 19,2024

Throughout my reading life I have often read about Socrates and I am sure I will continue to do so. My compelling interest gives me a very low bar for reading anything on the great philosopher, so I was game for this title knowing nothing detailed about it. I read it for the cover! Come to find out the book weaves the life and philosophy of Socrates with the principles and approaches of cognitive behavioral therapy. I did not know anything about CBT before, but certainly as framed here I find many of the approaches appealing, such as illeism, the practice of talking about oneself in the third person, rather than the first person. This can add a refreshing and enlightening perspective in mastering our fears and controlling the emotions about events that affect us more than the events themselves. Overall, I find the connections made to ancient Greek philosophy is more in line with Stoicism generally than Socrates particular, which actually makes me like it more.

As for Socrates, his biography and that of Athens including Pericles, Alcibiades, etc. is told in a modern language novelization approach that I think will be a great introduction to these personages and this history.

I like Aristotle, but I like Socrates's writings more than Aristotle. Sometimes, I would rather think to be like Socrates. Donald J. Robertson transports us far far away back to ancient Athens to know why Socrates write and think like that. This is really enjoyable book.

This is a very good introduction to Socrates. I found a lot to think about and learned things about myself.

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. I learned a lot more about Athens and Ancient Greece during Socrates's life and now have a better understanding of his philosophy. There was more history than philosophy, which was somewhat disappointing, but I was satisfied with the information nonetheless. Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a review copy of this book. I appreciate it!

This is an excellent account of Socrates's life and times and its influence on his philosophy. If you prefer historical context as you learn how Socrates came to think the way he did, you'll enjoy this book.

If I ever get the option to bring one person back from the dead to have dinner with, it would be Socrates!

I liked how the author compared Socrates methods to modern day psychology and how his teachings are still valid to this day, they’re just used under different names.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and if you’re into philosophy and/or psychology, you should definitely give this one read.

Well written, interesting read showcasing the thinking patterns of Socrates and how we can bring these concepts into our own lives. Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for allowing me to read and review.

My husband once told me - if you want to lead men, ask questions. This book is a great place to start learning how to ask questions. For me, it was a bit dense…and my attention span has been low lately, so I will let you know who it is best for, because I didn’t connect as well. If you are into history or philosophy, this book is a great read. Robertson goes deep into the life of Socrates and applies his logic to the way we approach life. If you are a coach, this might be a fun place to spend a weekend as you contemplate better ways to use questions to move the conversation forward. If you are a parent with a child considering Harvard or any of the other higher ed schools that adhere to the Socratic method, I strongly recommend you read this.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 How to Think Like Socrates by Donald J. Robertson is a captivating exploration of one of history's greatest philosophers. Robertson masterfully brings Socrates' teachings to life, making them relevant for our modern world. Through a blend of engaging storytelling and practical insights, the book not only offers a deep dive into Socratic philosophy but also provides actionable guidance on how we can incorporate these timeless principles into our daily lives. Whether you're a philosophy enthusiast or simply seeking wisdom to navigate life's challenges, this book is a must-read!

Socrates was, in many ways, the originator in the West of both self-help and philosophy as a form of therapy. It’s only fitting, then, that a licensed cognitive-behavioral psychotherapist would try his hand at updating the dialogues of Socrates for the modern world using contemporary examples and language.

Socrates has much to teach us (and every generation), not in the form of answers, but in the form of questions more complex than we’re used to asking ourselves. In the process, we learn to live up to the philosophical maxim “know thyself” by exploring foundational questions regarding the true nature of love, wisdom, friendship, justice, and more.

It turns out that the key to Socratic reasoning is the search for exceptions to your own definitions, beliefs, and moral principles. The process of questioning your own beliefs—the antithesis of arrogant, dogmatic thinking—cultivates the same kind of “cognitive flexibility” that modern psychologists instill in their patients to eradicate false or destructive beliefs. Socratic reasoning is, therefore, therapeutic in the deepest sense.

You might ask, however, that if you want to think like Socrates, why not just read Plato’s dialogues directly, the original and most authoritative source of Socratic thinking? You certainly can do this (and should), but in writing the dialogues, Plato did presuppose that his readers had firsthand knowledge of the people, places, and events in ancient Greece that permeate his dialogues.

Since most modern readers will lack this knowledge, they’ll appreciate the author’s effort in explaining—in great detail—the people, places, and events that form the background of Socrates’s world. In fact, this is a major selling point of the book: The author narrates the life and thought of Socrates in a way that transports you back in time and allows you to walk in the shoes of philosophy’s most important thinker. What you’ll come away with (hopefully) is what everyone else who interacted with Socrates ultimately discovered—the limits of their own knowledge and a deeper sense of intellectual humility. It’s hard to think of something the world could need more of.