Boredom as a Vice of the Mind
The result's identifiers
Result code in IS VaVaI
<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00216275%3A25210%2F25%3A39923691" target="_blank" >RIV/00216275:25210/25:39923691 - isvavai.cz</a>
Result on the web
<a href="https://www.routledge.com/The-History-and-Philosophy-of-Boredom/Elpidorou-RosVelasco/p/book/9781032328256" target="_blank" >https://www.routledge.com/The-History-and-Philosophy-of-Boredom/Elpidorou-RosVelasco/p/book/9781032328256</a>
DOI - Digital Object Identifier
<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781003316947-3" target="_blank" >10.4324/9781003316947-3</a>
Alternative languages
Result language
angličtina
Original language name
Boredom as a Vice of the Mind
Original language description
In this paper, I focus on Socratic dialogue (as conceived by Plato) as a method to fight the boredom of interlocutors in the context of philosophical inquiry. I argue for a contrastive thesis about boredom, and I use a contrastive methodology to detect it. I describe Socrates’ strategies to make the interlocutors engaged in the maieutic generation of knowledge, in kindling their enthusiasm for the truth, and transforming them into philosophers as tools for fighting boredom. This means that a study of boredom in Ancient Greek times requires a contrastive method through which we can examine it. While the Socratic dialogue is not explicitly conceived as a tool to fight boredom, I contend that exploring it through the lens of boredom offers important insights, especially about its transformative aspect. At the same time, this contrastive analysis can give us keys to unlocking the meaning of boredom in Socratic dialogue. Although speculative in nature, I contend that boredom is a vice of the mind that should be contrasted through philosophical inquiry. It follows that unlike the rhetoricians, Socrates does not care to entertain the audience so that it does not get bored. On the contrary, Socrates needs to combat boredom because it obstructs the generation of knowledge and the attainment of truth that are necessary for a good life. This means that the agonistic character of Socratic dialogue has an intrinsic epistemic, moral, and political value.
Czech name
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Czech description
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Classification
Type
C - Chapter in a specialist book
CEP classification
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OECD FORD branch
60300 - Philosophy, Ethics and Religion
Result continuities
Project
<a href="/en/project/GA24-11282S" target="_blank" >GA24-11282S: Vicious epistemic cultures</a><br>
Continuities
P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)
Others
Publication year
2025
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů
Data specific for result type
Book/collection name
The History and Philosophy of Boredom
ISBN
978-1-03-232825-6
Number of pages of the result
12
Pages from-to
15-26
Number of pages of the book
303
Publisher name
Routledge
Place of publication
London
UT code for WoS chapter
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