RVF Book Club September: Thucydides - The History of the Peloponnesian War
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Horus said:
Keep that discussion here:
https://www.rooshvforum.com/thread-50118.html
This thread can hopefully continue past September on the topic of this book, as anyone who wants to talk about this book can add to it whenever they like.
Ok, I just finished this book—The History of the Peloponnesian War. Thank you again Sonsowey for the recommendation. I have some initial thoughts, so I did not want to read the other comments on this thread (lest I lose my original response).
There was a great “Philosophy” before Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle - I, like many, have started Western thought with Socrates. But reading the book, I noticed many uses of rhetoric (primarily in a call to arms by various generals). It reminded me that before somebody can critique a society (like Socrates) somebody has to create it. And that this creation often comes by way of the sword. It’s no different than the modern call to patriotism: Freedom isn’t free, etc.
In short, the desire to fight, to defend yourself, is a form of logic. It has a belief system attached to it, a way of reasoning. It is a philosophy. And it’s one that predates the classic philosophers of Greece.
There was a great “Philosophy” before Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle - I, like many, have started Western thought with Socrates. But reading the book, I noticed many uses of rhetoric (primarily in a call to arms by various generals). It reminded me that before somebody can critique a society (like Socrates) somebody has to create it. And that this creation often comes by way of the sword. It’s no different than the modern call to patriotism: Freedom isn’t free, etc.
In short, the desire to fight, to defend yourself, is a form of logic. It has a belief system attached to it, a way of reasoning. It is a philosophy. And it’s one that predates the classic philosophers of Greece.
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