rationalskepticism.org

felltoearth wrote:

wisedupearly wrote:
This boils down to “people can kill me, but my ability to talk my way out of it is beneficial.” Why even bring up Socrates for such an obvious point?

umm, not exactly my point. My argument is that Western philosophy (founded on Socrates and Aristotle) is focused excessively on the individual and too little on the individual's position within the community. This means that people who are unable or unwilling to exert the mental horsepower needed to follow Kant (as an example only) get nothing. They get maths, science, etc etc in a do or die competition. Failing to make grades or failing to see society's point of view leads most people to depression. They do get a lot of a legal warnings as to what will happen if they get stroppy.

The usual moral guidelines outside religion involve aphorisms such as "Do as you would be done by" which I believe are far too passive. What is needed is an understanding of how our attitudes can negatively impact those around us and indeed ourselves.
The costs imposed are offset by a reconnection with our basic faculty of perception. We used it in childhood and it still exists, all though now we are habituated to it.
BTW. IMHO, if I am in the position that I can talk to the crazy one it is far too late. Best to work for the rational society rather than sit around and complain about the boredom.