I wanted to start my column this week by thanking the folks over at the Clerk’s Office at Biddeford City Hall. I had a problem recently and they worked very hard and spent so much time trying to help me I just had to mention it this week. I am grateful and we are lucky to have them working for us in Biddeford.
Our natural God given ability
In the platonic dialog The Apology, Socrates, the ancient Greek father of western philosophy asked “Can I respect myself ”“ can I ask others to respect me ”“ if I do not continually reflect upon the principles which guide my life? Can I call myself fully human if I go from day to day blindly, sheep-like, failing to subject my life and my acts to rigorous critical examination?”
Wow, this is heavy. Socrates, one of the most brilliant men in history and father of western philosophy is suggesting that he must routinely question and justify his own principles and actions. Simultaneously he is suggesting that we all must do the same. That to do otherwise is less than human. God made humans with this extraordinary ability, this unique quality to critically examine phenomena and issues and it would be a slap in God’s face not to utilize this gift to its fullest. It would be blasphemous to accept anything at face value since he gave us this gift to question virtually everything.
Socrates lived by this creed. He questioned the rich and the powerful, who then like now, were able to use their wealth to control the government. And of course he questioned the self-appointed religious authorities, for religion was and is very powerful. And in response they threatened to have him executed. They said he was insulting the gods. In fact he was insulting them, for he questioned that they knew what God wanted. He claimed that God told him that he must question. It was his duty in an effort to find a modicum of the truth. He must use this ability given by God (Socrates often referred to only one God even though ancient Greek society was generally polytheistic, but that was not their objection). He said to them during his trial, “Men of Athens”¦I shall obey God rather than you.”
It seems to me that in our own time, critical examination of our beliefs, principles and actions is every bit as important as it was nearly 2,500 years ago. The sophistry that is slung in the name of truth by self-appointed authorities, religious and otherwise, does our society great harm. Some of those same charlatans are alive and well today, so arrogant as to tell us what God thinks and wants. And the only antidote to it is critical examination. We still will not agree on everything, but at least we can have an honest dialog and that is likely to make us all just a little bit wiser.
Thanks for reading, stay informed by reading every day, drive safe, be kind, hug your children and have a wicked great week!
— Bruce M. Hardina is the publisher of the Journal Tribune, a singer-songwriter, a philosopher, a student of life and the human experience, a columnist, an entrepreneur and a family man. To comment on his musings, email bhardina@journaltribune.com or mail a note to Journal Tribune, Attn: Bruce Hardina, 457 Alfred St., Biddeford, ME 04005.
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