talk, talk, talk

The first time that I read a piece by Plato, one filled with dialogue about philosophical ideals, I could not wrap my head around how unrealistic the conversation was. Do people really talk like this? I thought. I spent so much time focusing on the mechanics that I nearly missed what he was saying.

Of course, after years of creative writing classes, I am no longer concerned with how exact the conversation is. I use dialogue in fiction pieces for a number of things, like drawing the reader immediately into the action. Readers can skip over paragraphs of descriptive prose and still basically understand what's going on by reading the dialogue closely. (Just read "Hills Like White Elephants" by Hemingway if you don't believe me.) In that way, Plato was very smart. We like to listen to conversations almost as much as we like looking at pictures.

The main reason that I think it was a smart move for Plato to use dialogue as a genre is that it provides the same opportunities that having a real conversation does. It gives a bit of an informal feeling to a weighty and heavily analytical discussion. The beginning of "Phaedrus" begins with Socrates and Phaedrus greeting each other and therefore introducing themselves to the reader. That's not an accident. They don't begin the philosophical musings first off, either. They work up to it. It warms the reader up for what the conversation has in store.

Also, in real conversations members of the discussion have the opportunity to ask questions for clarification. If there is something that one doesn't understand, just ask. And asking always brings more to mind, broadens the discussion even further, and encourages more analytical thinking and involvement in a conversation.

The Socratic Method (as this question back-to-back with a question) emphasizes that not every question has a clear answer, but it never hurts to ask. It's like that cheesy saying that was posted in one of my elementary school classrooms, "There is no such thing as stupid question." It's probably a cliche saying for teachers for a reason.

Questions, from what I have gathered from my tutoring experience over the years, give everyone in the conversation a chance to learn. The people of the time giving lectures were not listening to their pupils. They were departing knowledge they had gained, but not necessarily learning anything more. That might be how Plato is using dialogue as a genre to critique teaching styles in the time.

Honestly, all of philosophy is a big guessing game for me, so these are all just possible thoughts. I look forward to reading what yours are.