Sophistry is an epidemic in our culture. In our media. In our universities. And especially in the field of education. One of the biggest sophistries is the assault against the concepts of truth and objectivity. Aren’t they the first things that sophists would attack? So I say: give children a chance to defend themselves. Teach sophistry early and often.

Definition: sophistry is arguing to win. Sophistry is saying ANYTHING to make you look wise and to make your opponent look foolish. Sophistry is shameless manipulation of language, logic, thought and sense.

Sophistry is closely related to salesmanship. Sophistry is when you say that land under water has good river views.

What is the relationship between sophistry and lying? Typically, liars know they are lying. (Sophists may not. They become so caught up in their airy nonsense that they often leave reality behind.) Typically, liars will incorporate as much sophistry as they think they need to persaude you to believe their lies.

Note: great sophistries are almost impossible to disprove. The grandfather of them all is Zeno’s Paradox which proves conclusively that the fast runner can never catch up with the slow runner. The tortoise, of course, always wins.
Philosophy Weeps (essay #9 on Improve-Education.org) is a good discussion of five sophistries popular in academia. When I went to college, these sophistries were taught as ultimate truths! But here I am saying they’re just bull. Decide for yourself.–Bruce Deitrick Price

Suppose your mind is made up–you are determined to introduce deep thoughts into your classroom. Philosophical and spiritual thoughts, no less. I say, bless you. And here’s a way to do it.

The Tao Te Ching is a seminal work in World Philosophy, World Religion, World Literature, World History, Asian Studies, and Chinese History. It may well be THE supreme multicultural document. Who could criticize discussion of such a work?

Written (or compiled) almost 2500 years, the Tao Te Ching continues to fascinate intellectuals. One website counts more than 125 English translations! What is its appeal? It’s short; not religious in the ordinary sense; and talks about how to be happy. Note that Socrates in the Western world and the Tao Te Ching in the Eastern world were discussing the same topics at the same time!

When I first became curious about the spiritual life, I (like many others) used the Tao Te Ching as a point of entry. It is playful, elusive, wise, startling, and counterintuitive. I studied this little work for several years and wrote a number of articles. One of these I just added to Improve-Education.org (#18). It’s a quick, informal introduction. Half of this essay is quotations from my favorite translation, that of Witter Bynner.

The Tao Te Ching (being arguably the most perfect multicultural and thus Politically Correct thing you can study) trumps all opposition. Asian Studies, anyone?