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Description
Alexander Bazelow edited these transcripts of two lectures on the philosopher Socrates, delivered by Heinrich Blücher at the New School for Social Research on April 30 and May 7, 1954. The lectures provide a philosophical analysis of Socrates, distinguishing his thought from the subsequent system-building of Plato. Blücher argues that Socrates' true contribution was the discovery of pure philosophy as a universal human capability centered on reason, judgment, and self-inquiry, accessible to all, not just an elite. He contrasts the Socratic ideal of freedom and communal reasoning with Plato's authoritarian response to Socrates' execution. The lectures explore Socrates' method of dialectics, his concept of acknowledging ignorance as the starting point for wisdom, and his belief that happiness is achieved through living in harmony with one's self. Blücher positions Socrates' life and consciously designed death as the ultimate testament to his philosophy, establishing him as a foundational figure for Western thought.
Publication Date
1954
Recommended Citation
Blücher, Heinrich, "05-V. Socrates (1954)" (1954). Bazelow Transcripts. 5.
https://digitalcommons.bard.edu/blucher-bazelow-transcripts/5