Why philosophy must be dragged out of the ivory tower and into the street

According to one founding myth, philosophy begins with a grumpy old man named Socrates being put to death for pestering his fellow citizens about the nature of justice, courage, and other such virtues. This is hardly an auspicious way to start a new academic discipline. But Socrates’ attempt to engage Athenians in dialogue exemplifies both the nature of human inquiry and the public role philosophy ought to play today. More...