Thursday, January 13, 2005

The Virtual Socratic Classroom

The Logical Jesus - An Educational Exercise
Joe Carter over at Evangelical Outpost is starting a project called The Jesus the Logician Project. more . Joe is giving the readers (students) some definitions of different examples of "Figures of Reasoning". Then, as I see it, the students are to go find examples of the use of these reasoning figures in the sayings and stories of Jesus.

Could this be part of the answer to the what's next question.
Question: How do we cultivate public intellectuals in the 21st Century?
Answer: We use new media as the Socratic academy.

Setting: The virtual classroom
Brad (raising hand): Oh, I know one. The render unto Ceasar passage is a Enthymeme

Teacher Joe: And why is that?

Brad: Oh because Jesus never says the major premis which is "Owners of items brand their initials or image on the items to mark ownership". ...Ahh, in the pasage, the teachers of the law ask, "Should we pay the temple tax." To this Jesus says, "Get me a coin. Whose image is on the coin?" "Ceasars" the lawyers say. And Jesus answers, "Ok, then give to Ceasars what is his and give your life to God". So the major premis is implied. Therefore it is an enthymeme.

Teacher Joe: Does anyone challenge Mr. Hightower.

And so, the virtual Socratic Academy is born. And to think, I was there that night sitting at my desk just blogging along when the fallow ground of the Western mind was first being broken up... there at the dawn of the 21st Century.

God Bless,

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