Intellectual Impatience (Philosophy Helps!) | Education - Patheos

Discussion and philosophy lead to virtuous living, not merely more discussion by John Mark Reynolds, president of The Saint Constantine School.

Photo: Eidos - John Mark Reynolds

We are building a building and for that we need an architect, engineers, and other workers. I do not have training in any of these areas, so my job has been to get multiple educated perspectives (putting the project out to bid, getting an oversight team) and staying out the way.
A man must know what he does not know...

One way, pioneered by Socrates and perfected by Jesus, to grow in virtue is conversation with clarification of our ideas...

Plato writes of a “man of action” (Laches) who is a churl and a fool. He is too impatient to become truly courageous even though he has a natural boldness and a job as a general. Socrates is also a man of action, a brave warrior, but he is truly courageous in part because he has taken the time to know himself. Laches wants the reputation and the title (courage, general), while Socrates wants the reality.
Laches is frustrated when Socrates presses him on the nature of courage as virtue:

LACHES: No, I won’t say anything, Socrates, because it’s more appropriate for a Sophist to dabble in such subtleties than it is for a man who’s been chosen by his fellow citizens as one of their leaders.
SOCRATES: Well, my friend, I dare say that it’s appropriate for someone with the greatest responsibilities to have the greatest intelligence. And I do think we ought to try to see what has led Nicias to use the term ‘courage’ in this way.*

Does moral philosophy make progress?
Read more...

Source: Patheos