A new and vibrant understanding of Socrates, his work, and his unique approach to learning.

Socrates has been hiding in plain sight. We call him the father of Western philosophy, but what exactly are his philosophical views? He is famous for his humility, but readers often find him arrogant and condescending. We parrot his claim that ‘the unexamined life is not worth living,’ yet take no steps to live examined ones.

We know that he was tried, convicted, and executed for ‘corrupting the youth,’ but freely assign Socratic dialogues to todays youths, to introduce them to philosophy. Weve lost sight of what made him so dangerous. In Open Socrates, acclaimed philosopher Agnes Callard recovers the radical energy at the centre of Socrates thought and shows why it is still the way to a good life.

Format: Hardcover
Published: 2025
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Pages: 416
Language: English
ISBN 10: 0241476194
ISBN 13: 9780241476192